Kraft to curb snack-food ads
Moving to address growing concerns about childhood obesity and unhealthful eating habits, Kraft Foods announced it is going to curb its advertising of many popular snack food items to children under 12, reports the Washington Post.
The maker of Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Kool-Aid and Oscar Mayer lunch meat will begin phasing out ads for its less nutritious products on television and radio shows and in print publications aimed at audiences of 6- to 11-year-olds. The company doesn't aim any media advertising at children under 6.
Kraft, the nation's largest food company, will not stop all promotions to young children; it will still use cartoon characters in its products and packaging. It will also continue to offer contests, prizes and other promotions as well as games on its Web sites. And its traditional Lunchables and Kool-Aid products, as well Oreos and other cookies, will still be advertised on TV and radio shows and in magazines and other publications aimed at kids 12 and older.
The change affects products that amount to about 10% of Kraft's annual revenue, which is more than 30 billion, company officials said. Kraft doesn't plan to reduce overall advertising expenditures, only to shift how they are spent. Officials wouldn't say what the company's advertising budget is.
Kraft's announcement comes the same day that the government is set to release its new dietary guidelines, which are expected to emphasize fruit and vegetables, whole grains, milk and healthful fats such as those in nuts and olive oil. It also comes as a growing number of health care professionals and consumer activists are calling for more government oversight of food advertising and as the number of obese children has more than doubled in the past 30 years.
The advertising restrictions will be phased in as contracts with media companies expire, but the company expects the change to be completed globally in 2006.
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