Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents - Federal Trade ...

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Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents by the Produce for Better Health Foundation, 120 and the WG Stamp, promoted by the Whole Grains Council, which identifies products meeting certain guidelines for whole grain content. 121 b. nu T R i T i o n in f o R m a T i o n la b e l s As an alternative approach to an icon program, several companies have developed front-of- package labeling systems that present nutrition information to consumers in a standardized, easy- to-read format. General Mills, for example, uses a “Nutrition Highlights” graphic on some of its products, displaying the amount and the percentage of daily value per serving of calories and key “negative” nutrients – such as saturated fat, sodium, and sugar – as well as “positive” nutrients – such as whole grain, fiber, and calcium. 122 Kellogg’s has implemented a similar “Nutrition at a Glance” banner, which provides the same type of information, such as “100 Calories (5%)” or “6 mg Vitamin C (10%).” 123 In 2008, ConAgra launched a labeling system, based on USDA’s “MyPyramid” recommendations, that uses colorful icons designed to tell consumers how much of important nutrients are contained in the product. 124 This approach to nutrition labeling has a different purpose than an icon or seal program. It is designed to provide consumers with factual information in a prominent, easy-to-read format, to help consumers make their own purchase decision, rather than indicating that the company has predetermined that the product is “good” or “better.” 125 It also facilitates comparison of nutritional information among various products. One QSR has begun providing nutritional information on the packaging of some of its menu items, including children’s meal packaging and several of the individual products available in those meals. This information includes total calories and the amounts of fat, carbohydrates, protein, and sodium. Unlike the other nutritional labeling described above, however, this information is presented to the consumer after purchase, and in several instances, the information appears on the bottom of the packaging. 126 c. PR i va T e iniTiaTives The issue of nutrition labeling and how best to assist consumers in identifying more nutritious food and beverages is complex. One criticism of current industry approaches is the lack of uniformity in the criteria for what constitutes a “better for you” product. As a possible alternative to the array of icons and nutrition labeling currently on the market, many individual companies have come together to work on developing a uniform, industry- wide nutrition icon. The effort is being led by the Keystone Center’s Food and Nutrition Roundtable. The Keystone group includes stakeholders from industry, government, academia, consumer groups, and public health advocates. Like individual company icons, the Keystone 70
Assessment of Food Company Health Initiatives and Recommendations effort is focused on developing a simple, front-of-package icon based on nutrition criteria to help consumers make healthier choices. The outcome of this effort is expected to be announced in the Fall of 2008. Other private initiatives are underway to develop a single nutrition icon that would be used across all food products. For example, the Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center has supported the development of a 100-point ranking system that assigns a score to foods based on their overall nutritional quality. The score provides the basis for a color-coded icon that would be placed on front of packaging or on store shelves. The Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI) system is scheduled to be launched in the second half of 2008, with a cooperative of grocery store chains using the icon on their private label food products. In a similar vein, one regional grocery store chain, Hannaford, has developed and implemented its own innovative nutrition rating system, called “Guiding Stars,” to help consumers easily identify more nutritious foods. Nearly every food and beverage product sold in the stores is evaluated for nutritional value and rated: “healthy” products get one star, better choices get two stars, the best get three, and foods with no nutritional value get no stars. 127 Products get credit if they contain nutrients consumers need more of – vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and whole grains – and lose credit for nutrients consumers need less of – saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sodium, and added sugars. 128 Since the program’s launch in 2006, less than a third of the store’s 25,000 products have earned any star at all. 129 Sales of many “starred” products – such as cereals, soups, snack foods, and frozen dinners – have reportedly increased at twice the rate, or more, of unstarred products. 130 Hannaford is expanding this system to two subsidiary chains, Sweetbay and Food Lion. d. oT h e R nu T R i T i o n la b e l i n g aP P Roa c h e s Beyond icons and nutrition information labels, reporting companies use product labels in a number of other ways to highlight particular nutritional attributes of their products. Some fruit and vegetable marketers affix stickers and “hang-tags” to their products, informing consumers that the products are “chock full of Vitamin C” or a “super food for your joints.” Another produce company uses a Mickey Mouse thumb’s-up “Check It Out” symbol to highlight benefits of its products – stating, for example, that the product is a “Good Source of Vitamin C.” Similarly, other companies use product labels such as “0 Trans Fat,” “100% Fruit Juice,” “Made with Whole Grain,” or “good source of calcium.” Some companies have developed products or product lines whose names denote that they are “better for you” by using words such as “Healthy,” “Fat Free,” “Sugar Free,” “Baked,” “Light,” “Reduced” or “Less.” Products making many of these labeling claims must meet certain FDA 71
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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Marketing
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Report Contributors Bureau of Consu
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Appendices 2. Athletic and Other Ev
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List of Figures Figure II.1: Report
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Marketing Food to Children and Adol
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