FTC Chair Urges Food Marketplace 'Reinvention'

In kicking off the Federal Trade Commission's Dec. 15 public hearing on food marketing and childhood obesity, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz called on the food industry to "supersize" its efforts and "boldly reinvent the food marketplace." Chairman Leibowitz acknowledged "heartening" progress made by the food industry since a 2005 FTC/Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) workshop on food marketing to children, including healthier food offerings and changes in marketing practices implemented by the now-14 food companies and two restaurant chains (McDonald's, Burger King) participating in the Council of Better Business Bureaus' self-regulatory Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. He also acknowledged that marketing is "only one factor" contributing to childhood obesity. However, Leibowitz noted the non-participation of some key food and beverage companies, such as Yum Brands, as well as other restaurant chains, and maintained that change has been coming in "small increments." He said that the FTC and other government agencies comprising the Interagency Working Group on Food Marketing to Children "continue to believe that the food industry and children's media are trying to effect positive change," but added that companies "cannot simply congratulate themselves" on meeting self-regulatory pledges. "We need to be sure that the pledges are adequate," he said.