CFBAI Reports Full Compliance with Food Advertising Commitments in 2016

Arlington, VA – December 21, 2017 – The nation’s leading food and beverage companies and quick-serve restaurants demonstrated excellent compliance in 2016 with their commitments to advertise to children only foods that meet uniform nutrition criteria. The 18 participants in the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) represent the majority of food advertising on children’s television programming. Their commitment to advertising only healthier foods is making a significant impact on improving the children’s food advertising landscape, according to CFBAI’s Report on Compliance and Progress During 2016, issued today.

“CFBAI’s participants continue to deliver on their commitments to improve the mix of foods advertised to children under age 12,” said Maureen Enright, CFBAI director and vide president with the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB). “CFBAI independently monitored advertising on children’s media and evaluated participants’ self-assessments. We found that participants advertised only foods that met CFBAI’s nutrition criteria or did not advertise to children at all.”

CFBAI commitments cover child-directed TV networks and digital media, including ads on popular children’s websites, apps, and participant websites that are child-directed, as well as child-directed print and radio. The Report also summarizes the findings of CFBAI’s analysis of food ads in a sample of Nickelodeon programming, where participants’ ads continue to represent a substantial percentage of the total amount of food ads. Almost all the participant ads in CFBAI’s “snapshot” featured foods that meet limits on calories, saturated fat, sodium, and sugar, and provide a half-serving of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or dairy, or nutrients that are under-consumed by children, like Vitamin D.

The report notes other important developments in food advertising self-regulation. In particular, in 2016 CFBAI launched a new program, the Children’s Confection Advertising Initiative, in partnership with the National Confectioners Association. Two additional confection companies joined CCAI in December 2017. “We are very pleased that Goetze’s Candy Co., Inc. and Impact Confections have joined CCAI and publicly committed to not advertising to children under age 12,” said Enright.

“Joining the CCAI is just another step in our 122 year history of commitment as a responsible confectionery manufacturer,” stated Mitchell Goetze, CEO of Goetze’s Candy Co., Inc. “We are proud to produce a wholesome sweet treat that is made with wheat flour and real dairy cream. Our dedication to the CCAI’s initiative to not advertise to children under 12 is just another positive chapter for the Goetze’s Candy Co., Inc.”

CFBAI and CCAI participants will continue to strengthen self-regulation and improve food advertising to children in the coming year.

The Report can be viewed here.

About CFBAI: BBB launched the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative in 2007 to shift the mix of advertising messaging directed at children to encourage healthier dietary choices and healthier lifestyles. CFBAI’s participants currently are The American Licorice Company; Burger King Corporation; Campbell Soup Company; The Coca-Cola Company; Conagra Brands Inc.; The Dannon Company, Inc.; Ferrero USA, Inc.; General Mills Inc.; The Hershey Company; Kellogg Company; The Kraft Heinz Company; Mars, Incorporated; McDonald’s USA, LLC; Mondelēz Global LLC; Nestlé USA; PepsiCo, Inc.; Post Foods, LLC and Unilever United States. For more information about CFBAI, visit  bbbprograms.org/programs/cfbai.

About BBB: For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2016, people turned to BBB more than 167 million times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 5.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as home to its national programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation. 

MEDIA CONTACTS:

For further information, media representatives should contact Katherine Hutt (212) 705-0131 or khutt@council.bbb.org).