ND1003118

Title: Government Appears to Backtrack on Food Marketing Rules for Children

Description: Several agencies praise the food industry?s self-regulation in this area.

Page Content:

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration seems pleased with the food industry?s self-regulation on the issue of marketing to kids, The Hill reports. Food manufacturers have been working on changing how they approach marketing to children after voluntary guidelines were released in April.

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In a letter to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), several government agencies wrote that they ?anticipate making significant changes to both the marketing and nutrition principles.? The letter also applauded the industry?s self-regulation in that area: ?We intend to take this significant development into account, as well as the other [29,000] stakeholder comments, when developing our final recommendations.?

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Signed by the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, the letter is responding to Upton asking that the interagency working group (IWG) study obesity and food marketing prior to proposing guidelines, in compliance with the 2009 federal spending bill that developed IWG.

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?On the surface, [the letter] appears to be very good news,? said Corey Henry, spokesman for the American Frozen Food Institute. ?It's a clear indication that they've heard from Congress and that there needs to be significant change.?

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?The IWG proposed marketing guidelines based on science and what is best for kids,? said Margo Wootan, who directs nutrition policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. ?The industry?released standards that are best for industry. This is Washington, I expect that the final marketing guidelines will be somewhere in between.?

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Despite the overall positive tone of the letter, the food industry still has concerns. ?Obviously, to endorse this action without seeing the particulars is like being asked to sign a blank check,? said Dan Jaffe with the Association of National Advertisers. ?Glad that they admit that there needs to be modifications but only the particulars will allow us to say whether we are happy or unhappy with this proposal.?

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Content Subject: Government Relations

Formatted Article Date: October 3, 2011

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