April 28/Washington, D.C./Grocery Manufacturers Association -- The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) announced the results of new research conducted by Georgetown Economic Services (GES) that shows the average number of food and beverage advertisements that children 2-11 viewed on children’s programming fell by 50% between 2004 and 2010.

  “In recent years, food and beverage companies have adopted strict nutrition standards that have fundamentally changed the advertising landscape,” said Pamela G. Bailey, president and CEO of the GMA. “Since 2005, there has been a significant decrease in overall food and beverage advertising on children’s programs, coupled with a dramatic increase in ads featuring healthier product choices and healthy lifestyle messages.  These changes would not have taken place without the leadership and commitment demonstrated by America’s food and beverage companies.”

 The research was conducted by GES and sponsored by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Association of National Advertisers.

 In addition, GES found a dramatic change in the composition of food and beverage advertisements viewed on children’s programming.

 Between 2004-2010:

* Advertisements for cookies fell by 99%

* Advertisements for soft drinks fell by 96% and advertisements for fruit and vegetables juices increased by 199%

* Advertisements for gum and mints fell by nearly 100% and advertisements for candy fell by 68%

* Advertisements for snack bars fell by nearly 100% and advertisements for all snacks fell by 71%

* Advertisements for frozen and refrigerated pizza fell by 95% and advertisements for breads, pastries, waffles and pancakes fell by nearly 100%

 Many of the changes in advertising on children's programming can be attributed to the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), a self-regulatory program that is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus and that was created in response to FTC and IOM reports in 2005.

 Under the CFBAI, 17 food and beverage companies apply science-based nutrition standards to marketing viewed by children, including television advertising and digital media. CFBAI was launched in 2006.

 “The advertising community has actively responded to the obesity challenge in the United States and this study once again confirms that food and beverage advertising directed to children under 12 has trended significantly downwards, said Bob Liodice, president and CEO of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA). “In addition, food options that provide low-fat, low-sodium and low-calorie choices have dramatically increased.”

In recent years, food and beverage manufacturers have changed the recipes of more than 20,000 products to reduce calories, sodium, sugar and fat. In addition, food manufacturers and retailers recently announced a commitment to place nutrition information on the front of food packages.

 

From the April 29, 2011, Prepared Foods' Daily News.