CFBAI Core Principles & Uniform Nutrition Criteria

View the Criteria

All participants follow CFBAI’s Core Principles, which set requirements regarding food advertising to children. The Core Principles encompass an advertising commitment and an elementary and middle school commitment. CFBAI monitors and reports on participants’ compliance with these commitments in annual reports. 

The Advertising Commitment 

Participants agree to depict only foods that meet CFBAI’s Uniform Nutrition Criteria in advertising primarily directed to children under age 13. Some participants commit to not advertise foods to this age group at all.

Under CFBAI’s Core Principles participants treat programming with an audience of 30% or more children as “child-directed.” Some participants use a 25% threshold.  

Covered Media

CFBAI Core Principles cover the following child-directed media:

  • TV
  • Radio
  • Print
  • Internet/Digital Media
  • Mobile Media
  • Influencer Communications
  • Product Placements
  • Product Integrations
  • Licensed Characters/Celebrities
  • Movie Tie-Ins
  • Word of mouth

Elementary & Middle School Commitment 

Participants commit to not advertise their foods to children in elementary and middle schools, pre-K through 8th grade, even foods that meet CFBAI’s nutrition criteria. This commitment applies to the entire school and its facilities and grounds and covers the entire school day whenever children are under the supervision of the school or third parties on behalf of the school. This commitment does not apply to the display of foods or beverages that are for sale, communications with adults, charitable fundraising support or sponsorship, or curricular or public service materials.  

Uniform Nutrition Criteria 

CFBAI’s strengthened and revised Uniform Category-Specific Nutrition Criteria, 2nd ed. came into effect January 1, 2020, following a two-year, comprehensive nutrition criteria review based on the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and FDA’s 2016 revised food labeling regulations.

The criteria set limits on calories, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, and minimum contribution levels for important food groups (e.g., fruits, vegetables, non/low-fat dairy, or whole grains) or key nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D.  

Since CFBAI began, participants have reformulated foods within their product portfolios (sometimes multiple times) and developed new foods to meet the Uniform Nutrition Criteria. As a result, foods advertised by CFBAI participants now are lower in calories, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, and provide important food groups or key nutrients.