Nestlé USA Pledges to Make Changes in Advertising to Children

The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. In November 2006, the BBB launched the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative to shift advertising targeting children to encourage healthier dietary choices and healthier lifestyles. There are currently 15 food and beverage companies participating in the Initiative, and the latest company to join the effort is Nestlé USA.

Nestlé has pledged that as of January 1, 2009, 100% of its advertising directed to children under age 12 will be only for products that meet nutritional guidelines of the initiative. Nestlé will no longer advertise WONKA brand candies to children younger than 12 years old. With this announcement, Nestlé will be the fourth candy company in the BBB Initiative to stop advertising candy to this age group. In addition, Nestlé USA will not target any advertising to children younger than 6, regardless of the product’s nutritional profile.

"Nestlé has agreed to only advertise foods to children that meet nutritional guidelines, which means that one of their best selling brands, WONKA candies, will no longer be advertised to kids under 12 years old," said Elaine D. Kolish, Director of the Initiative. "Nestlé USA has shown a serious commitment to promoting healthier foods for kids not only in the types of products they produce-including milk and juice- but also in their willingness to curb advertising candy to children under 12."

The company will only advertise Nestlé Juicy Juice 100$ juice, some varieties of Nestlé Nesquik ready-to-drink flavored milk, Nesquik chocolate flavored powder for milk, and Nestlé Push-Up frozen dairy desserts to children between ages 6 and 12.

"Nestlé USA is pleased to participate in the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative and further affirm our commitment to healthier food and beverage choices," said Scott Remy, senior vice president, Communications, Nestlé USA. "This important initiative is also consistent with our global commitment to nutrition and responsible advertising to children."

Nestlé USA’s guidelines for healthier dietary choices are based on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Those guidelines, first published in 2005, include the following requirements for foods advertised to children 6 to 12 years of age:

• A juice product must be 100% fruit and/or vegetable juice and the serving size will be limited to no more than 8 fluid ounces and no more than 170 calories
• A ready to drink flavored milk must be portion controlled at 100 calories and contains no added sugars
• Chocolate powder flavoring for milk must be either 25% reduced in sugar or contain no added sugars and
• A frozen dairy dessert must be limited to no more than 100 calories and be an excellent source of a nutrient.

In addition, as provided by the terms of the Initiative, Nestlé USA will:

• Restrict the use of third-party licensed characters in advertising primarily directed to children under 12 to products meeting nutrition criteria
• Refrain from advertising food and beverages in elementary schools
• Not pay for, or seek out, product placement in media primarily directed to children under 12
• Limit the use of food and beverages shown in interactive games primarily directed to children under 12 to products that meet its nutrition criteria

The company’s advertising on TV, radio, print and third-party Internet sites that is primarily directed to children under 12 will be exclusively for products that represent these healthier dietary choices. Company-maintained Web sites directed to children under age 12 will be modified and updated no later than June 30, 2009.

The 15 participants of the Initiative are Burger King Corp.; Cadbury Adams USA LLC; Campbell Soup Company; The Coca-Cola Company; ConAgra Foods, Inc.; The Dannon Company; General Mills, Inc.; The Hershey Company; Kellogg Company; Kraft Foods Global, Inc.; Mars, Inc.; McDonald’s USA, LLC; Nestlé USA; PepsiCo, Inc.; and Unilever United States. A report on the progress made by Initiative participants was released in July 2008. This report, as well as the pledges made by the participating companies, is available online at www.us.bbb.org/advertisers4healthykids.