Ads from junk food retailers will not be shown on kids shows because of childhood obesity
Last year, the UK ban of junk foods on TV was made by Ofcom. They provoked controversy when they proposed that ads targeted at kids should begin at 16 years of age, whereas it used to be 9 years old.
The companies and ads banned were ones that manufactured products high in salt, fat and sugar. It was announced this week that 11 of North America’s top food and beverage companies will follow suit.
It’s a voluntary decision made by the Federal Trade Commission, who want to put an end to childhood obesity. The assurances these companies are making follow loosely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines.
The Pledges
- General Mills: will not market products to kids that have more than 12 grams of sugar and 175 calories per serving (these do not include Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs, which fall under the radar)
- Kellogg’s: agreed to either reformulate its' food or stop marketing products that have more than 200 calories or 12 grams of sugar per serving
- Pepsi: they will only advertise Gatorade and Baked Cheetos to children under 12 years
- McDonald’s: will emphasize a Happy Meal made with white-meat chicken
- Coke: will not advertise at all on TV programs for kids under 12 years (this had already been put into effect previously)
- Kraft Foods Inc.: won’t advertise their cereals that contain more than 12 grams of sugar
Also making voluntary promises are: Hershey Co., Campbell Soup Co., Cadbury Adams USA, Mars Inc., and Unilever.
C. Lee Peeler, the council's executive vice president of national advertising, was quoted as saying, "The market for healthier products is increasingly competitive, and we are seeing more and more companies move to reformulate or create new products in response to growing consumer demand," (CNN Money, 2007).
But critics are wary that these bans will do any good.
"Corporations are bound by law to increase shareholder profits, not to promote the well-being of children," say Susan Linn, a Harvard professor and co-founder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. "This gets rid of marketing of the very worst junk food, but it doesn't mean that only truly healthy foods are going to be marketed to kids" (Los Angeles Times, 2007).
Changes
Licensed characters used to sell products will be limited in favor of healthier lifestyle choices. These are decisions that the corporations are making themselves, although legislation will follow if the changes aren’t seen to make enough of a difference.
Although an effort is certainly being made to cut back the affects of marketing and advertising to children, these companies are still in it to make money, not protect children from obesity.
Is banning junk food ads on children’s TV enough? Is it too much? Does legislation need to be implemented in order to regulate the industry?
