Tuesday July 13, 2010

FTC Marketing To Children Report Delayed

Washington, DC — A FTC outline of voluntary standards for marketing food and beverages to children has been delayed, according to reports.

Originally set to be publicized July 15, government sources say an extension has been granted, but no future publication date has been set. It is unclear why the release has been held up, sources say, but suggest the draft standards might have been viewed as too stringent.

As part of an open forum held in December 2009, an interagency working group presented recommendations of standards for the marketing of food to those ages 17 and younger. The guidelines are intended to encourage the direction the industry should take to help address childhood obesity, according to an FTC spokesperson.

The working group, comprising the FTC, the commissioner of the FDA, the director of the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention and the Secretary of Agriculture, also aims to establish the scope of the media to which such standards should apply. This could include television, packaging, in-store materials, sweepstakes and Internet advertising.