US companies vow to rein in kid junk food ads

By Peter Kaplan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. food manufacturers and advertisers on Tuesday outlined new guidelines designed to rein in the promotion of junk food to children, but the effort was immediately derided by some critics as inadequate.

Under the initiative backed by 10 of the largest food companies, the industry would voluntarily tighten standards and impose new requirements on advertising to kids on television and in video games.

"This is a new and innovative program that is designed to change the mix of advertising messages in food and beverage advertising directed to children," said Steven Cole, president of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

Signing on to the new guidelines are the U.S. unit of Cadbury Schweppes Plc; Campbell Soup Co.; Coca-Cola Co.; General Mills Inc.; Hershey Co.; Kellogg Co.; Kraft Foods Inc.; McDonald's Corp.; PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever Group .

These companies account for more than two thirds of children's food and beverage television advertising expenditures, the council said. The council represents 129 local Better Business Bureaus -- trade groups that advocate ethical business and advertising practices.

U.S. regulators have urged food companies to voluntarily limit their advertising of sugary snacks, soft drinks and other junk food to kids. Public health advocates are concerned about the growing incidence of childhood obesity, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes in young adults.

Since 1980, U.S. obesity rates have tripled among adolescents aged 13 to 17 and doubled among younger children, according to a government report earlier this year. The government also recently estimated 16 percent of children aged 6 to 19 are obese.

Cole said the companies agreed to devote at least half their advertising directed to children on television, radio, print and Internet "to promote healthier dietary choices and/or to messages that encourage good nutrition or healthy lifestyles."

They also agreed to stop food and drink advertising in elementary schools, and to limit products shown in interactive games to healthier food choices "or incorporate healthy lifestyle messages into the games."

Cole said the council also would strengthen oversight of advertising of all products aimed at children under 12 by the self-regulation arm of the childrens' advertising industry, known as the Children's Advertising Review Unit.

The initiative was immediately criticized by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. The organization's director said the industry guidelines were changed only "at the fringes" and imposed no restrictions on the content of junk food that can be advertised.

"If a 'healthy lifestyle message' means that Ronald McDonald is pedaling a bike while peddling junk food, that message still does more harm than good. It's a joke," said the center's executive director, Michael Jacobson.

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Majoras, however, said she was "highly encouraged" by the changes. The agency, which is responsible for consumer protection, has been studying the obesity problem and food advertising.

Majoras said in a statement that the agency "will be watching closely to see whether this program results in meaningful improvements in food and beverage advertising to children."