A report on food advertising to children is in the works, Commercial Alert reports.
The U.S. Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science approved an amendment by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to require the Federal Trade Commission to produce an analysis of commercial advertising to children by July 1, 2006.
The amendment calls for the report to provide a comprehensive look at the food industry’s marketing activities, including product placement in TV shows, movies, and video games.
But, as Commercial Alert so aptly pointed out, while Sen. Harkin deserves kudos for the amendment, Congress should do a lot more than just require the FTC to study food marketing to children.
For instance, they should ban the marketing of junk food in public schools and do away with federal tax subsidies for marketing to kids under age 12.
Now, let’s hope that the amendment passes and the report gets done in the first place.
One thought on “Children’s Food Advertising Report Proposed”
Gary Ruskin, head of Commercial Alert, was kind enough to write to me direcctly to clarify information about this amendment. Here’s what he said: “First of all, this provision isn’t law yet. It has to make it through the conference committee, and that may not be easy. If it becomes law, then FTC typically does need 9 months or so to do a good job. It requires a lot of interviews, and, we’d hope, some subpoenas.
Best,
Gary
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