NCL statement on government guidelines on food marketing to children – National Consumers League
October 12, 2011
Contact: NCL Communications, (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org
Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL) has issued the following statement regarding the voluntary guidelines issued by the Interagency Working Group on Food Marketing to Children:
“NCL, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, commends the Interagency Working Group for its thoughtful, science based recommendations.
The Interagency Working Group, made up of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention and the Federal Trade Commission, issued voluntary guidelines earlier this year. These recommendations to the industry are based on sound science and established certain nutrition thresholds for the marketing of food to children. These thresholds would promote the marketing of healthy foods and discourage the marketing of foods low in nutritional content or high in fat, sugar or sodium.
The food industry has reacted negatively to these guidelines without justification. One of the major criticisms is that these recommendations are “backdoor” regulation, despite the fact that the Interagency Working Group’s recommendations are completely voluntary.
NCL urges the Interagency Working Group to maintain strong guidelines and to continue to base their recommendations on sound science. With nearly one-third of our children overweight or obese, concrete steps must be taken. The Interagency Working Group’s science based recommendations are a first step and NCL strongly supports them.”
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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
