November 15, 2006 in Business

Kids to hear healthier messages

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MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. — Ten major food and drink makers, including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Campbell Soup, announced Tuesday that their child-oriented advertising will do more to promote health foods and exercise.

The companies, which account for two-thirds of child-targeted food and drink commercials on TV, agreed to reduce the use of outside characters — think Shrek and the Little Mermaid — to pitch unhealthy foods. They also said they would not advertise in elementary schools and would ensure their online “advergames” either promote good health or healthy products, among other measures. Half their ads will focus on foods that qualify as healthy or on nutrition and exercise issues.

The companies said they had no plans to stop selling or promoting sugary cereals or fatty French fries, and critics were quick to say the voluntary restrictions will have little effect.

“The only changes from the status quo in these guidelines occur at the fringes,” said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “If a ‘healthy lifestyle message’ means that Ronald McDonald is pedaling a bike while peddling junk food, that message still does more harm than good.”

The companies’ announcement comes a month after five big snack food companies agreed to voluntary restrictions on food they sell in schools as national concern about childhood obesity mounts.

“It would be a huge benefit for kids to get messages about good lifestyles and exercise,” said C. Lee Peeler, executive vice president at the Council of Better Business Bureaus, which is to monitor compliance with the voluntary rules. “It’s a major step forward by the industry.”

The companies’ plans are to take effect next year as 32-year-old advertising guidelines are replaced. As with the old rules, egregious violations would be referred to the Federal Trade Commission. Enforcement actions were rare.

All 10 companies, which are charter members of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative, already have internal policies on how they sell to kids. Because of that, it appears there will not be major changes on some fronts.

While companies might have to change the way they use some characters from TV and movie tie-ins, they are free to use their own characters, such as Ronald McDonald and Tony the Tiger, in connection with any product.

Besides McDonald’s, The Coca-Cola Co. and Campbell Soup Co., the companies that agreed to the self-regulation are: Cadbury Schweppes USA, General Mills Inc.; The Hershey Co.; Kellogg Co.; Kraft Foods Inc., PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever.

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