ADVERTISING CONFECTIONERY TO CHILDREN

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL CONFECTIONERS ASSOCIATION

The National Confectioners Association and its members are committed to the principles described below for the national advertising of confectionery to children under 12 years of age.

1. The confectionery industry is committed to responsible advertising placement in any programming directed to children under 12 years of age. Any placement and programming will be appropriate for the intended target audience and will otherwise adhere to these commitments.
2. The confectionery industry is committed to advertising its products within the framework of the overall diet, appropriate energy balance, and eating occasion depicted. To accomplish this goal, confectionery advertising:
   • Will feature a reasonable portion size for the situation depicted.
   • Will portray the advertised product as a snack, treat, or dessert and not as a substitute for a meal.
   • Will not disparage healthy lifestyle choices or the consumption of foods recommended for increased consumption by current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and My Pyramid, as applicable to children.
3. Companies in the confectionery industry that advertise to children under 12 are committed to providing information to children under 12 about healthy dietary choices, portion control and energy balance. A member may demonstrate this commitment through many different means, including, but not limited to, the following:
   • Devoting a percentage of advertising to messages encouraging a healthy lifestyle.
   • Offering and promoting smaller serving packaging to encourage portion control.
   • Disseminating public service announcements explaining the role of discretionary calories such as confectionery in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans or My Pyramid.
   • Devoting a percentage of advertising to products that meet an established standard of healthfulness, such as the definition of “healthy” in Food and Drug Administration regulations, (21 CFR 101.65(d)(2)) or that fall within a category recommended for increased consumption by children under USDA Dietary Guidelines and My Pyramid.
   • Sponsoring healthy lifestyle activities such as sporting events, school or community health fairs, nutrition education programs, and physical education programs.
4. Members agree to not use third-party licensed characters in advertising in a manner that suggests or promotes excessive consumption or blurs the distinction between an advertisement and a television program, movie or other entertainment content.
5. Members will include nutrition information on all packaged confectionery products as required by law. Industry members are also encouraged to provide nutrition information about their products on the Internet.
6. Members agree that on their company and product websites for any online, interactive game primarily directed to children under 12 years of age where the company’s products are incorporated into the game, the online, interactive game will include prominent links to information about healthy lifestyles, healthy dietary choices, and/or energy balance or otherwise incorporate such messages in the online, interactive game itself. The links and content will be designed to appeal to and be understood by the target audience.

In addition to the guidelines above, NCA and several of its Members are also members of the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU). The Association supports the Marketing Guidelines established by CARU as well.