Marketing has a profound affect on the foods we eat and the beverages we drink, yet most of that marketing is for products we should avoid. BMSG monitors the media to help keep advocates informed of the tactics food and beverage companies use to target children, communities of color, and other groups that are particularly susceptible to the health harms these products cause. Below are archives of our monitoring.
Source: epha on December 13, 2012
The Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Union has developed a nutritional education tool, targeted toward family, school, and parent organizations. Rather than confronting the food industry for bombarding children with food advertising, the program strengthens individual children's food and nutrition choices in the face of such marketing.Source: TIME on December 12, 2012
According to a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, childhood obesity rates in a few cities are declining, in some cases due to the adoption of policies such as New York City's ban on large servings of sugar-sweetened beverages.Source: Warc on December 12, 2012
McDonalds has seen a rise in global sales due in part due to marketing strategies such as pushing value items and "broadening accessibility to [the] brand."Source: FoodNavigator-usa.com on December 11, 2012
The retooled product offerings include cereals and Pop Tarts, such as the Oatmeal Delights Frosted Strawberry flavor. One tart still has 14g of sugar, and there are 2 tarts in a pack.Source: FoodNavigator-usa.com on December 10, 2012
Some manufacturers are looking to coconut water to dilute 100% juices as a way of reducing calories while retaining the 100%-juice label. Also, according to an executive at a fruit juice concentrate company, big beverage makers are "keen to cash in on the general health halo imparted by coconut water."Source: Los Angeles Times on December 10, 2012
The doctor was invited to talk about what the food industry could do to improve public health, but his planned remarks were deemed too critical. For example, he argued that "the industry could stop suggesting that fiber and whole grains make sugary cereals a good idea." He posted the talk online.Source: TIME on December 10, 2012
A study in Pediatrics indicates that high salt intake among children (much of which they get from processed and fast foods) may contribute to childhood obesity in a number of ways -- not least by increasing children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.Source: FoodNavigator-usa.com on December 07, 2012
This information may be used for target marketing of Latino communities. In addition, the article points out that the market for "Hispanic foods" extends beyond the Latino community: "Mainstream consumers are becoming more adventurous with less well-known Hispanic flavors and textures, thanks to the influence of Hispanics and the popularity of foodie culture."Source: MinnPost on December 07, 2012
In this op-ed, longtime advertising executive Myles Spicer argues that "government concern about health and fitness matters is not only desirable, but in a sense necessary if America is to remain strong and healthy."Source: St. Louis Business Journal on December 07, 2012
What is Anheuser-Busch buying in terms of goodwill and access to Latino communities with this corporate social responsibility program? The donation will go toward buying new headquarters for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
