Kraft to curb Oreo ads

NORTHFIELD, Ill. — Kraft Foods Inc., the nation's biggest food manufacturer, said Wednesday it plans to curb its advertising of Oreo cookies, regular Kool-Aid and other popular snack foods to children under 12 as part of an effort to encourage better eating habits.

The company also said it would begin labelling food and beverages that meet certain nutrition criteria with a flag containing the product's benefits.

The new marketing program comes as food companies are facing rising criticism from some consumer groups and others that they are contributing to obesity in children.

“We're working on ways to encourage both adults and children to eat wisely by selecting more nutritionally balanced diets,” Kraft senior vice president Lance Friedmann said in a written statement.

Kraft's Sensible Solution labeling would appear on products high in nutrients such as fibre or calcium or those determined to be “reduced,” “low,” or “free” in calories, fat, sugar or sodium.

Food such as Kraft 2 per cent Milk Shredded Reduced Fat cheese and Post Shredded Wheat cereal and Crystal Light beverages would receive the flag label, the company said.

As part of the new marketing program, Kraft said it would quit advertising products that don't qualify for the nutrition label on cartoon shows and other broadcast and print media that are viewed primarily by children aged 6 to 11.

It said those products include regular Kool-Aid beverages, Oreo and Chips Ahoy! cookies, several Post children's cereals and some varieties of its Lunchables lunch combinations.

It would still advertise some varieties of those brands such as Sugar-Free Kool-Aid and 1/2 the Sugar Fruity Pebbles cereal on kid's program, however.

Kraft said it will replace the advertisements with those featuring healthier foods for children.

Two years ago, Kraft moved to reduce the fat content in 200 products in North America, cap portions for single-serve packaged snacks, quit marketing snacks at school and encourage healthier lifestyles.

Kraft to announce curbs on food ads to children

Moving to address growing concerns about childhood obesity and unhealthful eating habits, Kraft Foods Inc. will announce today that it will curb its advertising of many popular snack food items to children under 12.

The maker of Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Kool-Aid, and Oscar Mayer lunch meat will begin phasing out ads of its less nutritious products on television and radio shows and in print publications aimed at audiences of 6- to 11-year-olds. The company aims no 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 websites. Its Lunchables, Kool-Aid products, and Oreos and other cookies will still be advertised on TV and radio shows and in magazines and other publications aimed at youths 12 and older.

The change affects products that amount to about 10 percent of Kraft's annual revenues, which are more than $30 billion, company officials said. Kraft doesn't plan to reduce overall advertising expenditures, only shift them. Officials wouldn't say what its advertising budget is.

''We do recognize that people and parents are concerned about advertising to young children," said Kraft spokesman Mark Berlind. ''We hope this will address that concern."

Kraft's announcement comes the same day that the government is to release new dietary guidelines, which are expected to emphasize fruit and vegetables, whole grains, milk, and healthful fats such as those in nuts. A growing number of healthcare professionals and consumer activists are calling for more government oversight of food advertising; in the past 30 years, the number of obese children has more than doubled.

Kraft Foods said it plans to remove some of its snack foods from advertising in media seen by children aged 6-11 as part of the fight against rising obesity levels.

Oreo cookies, among Kraft’s best-sellers, are to be banned from television, radio and print adverts aimed at children in the US.

The iconic dark cocoa, ‘cream’ filled biscuit is one of several snack food brands which Kraft Foods will be cutting from advertising in media viewed primarily by children aged 6-11. The company said all products that failed to qualify for a new “Sensible Solution” flag labelling system in America would be dropped from adverts.

The company, the largest food maker in the US, said impressionable youngsters would no longer be exposed to plugs for Kool-Aid, Chips Ahoy! cookies, and many varieties of its Lunchables lunch combinations.

Although all adverts of such products would be dropped from media targeted at children world-wide by 2006 ,the company said it would continue to advertise all its products, which includes Cheez Whiz and Jell-O, in media “seen principally by parents and all-family audiences”.

The company said it was responding to the health concerns of consumers and the “global public health challenge of rising obesity rates”.

Kraft highlighted a recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on preventing childhood obesity that called for strengthened self-regulation of food and entertainment advertising to children.

“We believe that the IOM’s proposal is constructive, and hope that all stakeholders will join together to make real progress on this issue,” the group said.

The new sensible solution flag will start appearing on products deemed to be sufficiently healthy and nutritious, such as Post Shredded Wheat cereal and Crystal Light beverages, in America in April. The company said it also planned to to introduce similar programmes in other countries.

Kraft and other US foodmakers are under pressure from consumer groups to make healthier products to combat growing obesity, diabetes and other illnesses around the world.

The US Food and Drug Administration has set a deadline of 2006 for manufacturers to replace saturated and trans fats that raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease with monounsatured fats that can help lower cholesterol.

“We’re working on ways to encourage both adults and children to eat wisely by selecting more nutritionally balanced diets,” said Lance Friedmann, Kraft’s head of Global Health and Wellness. “We believe that these initiatives are a step in the right direction.”

Kraft to curb Oreo ads
Associated Press Jan.12, 2005