Dive Brief:
- Six confectionery companies have joined the Children’s Confection Advertising Initiative (CCAI), a partnership between the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) and the National Confectioners Association (NCA). These companies have committed to not directly target advertisements at children under 12.
- The initiative's six charter members include Ferrara Candy Co., Ghirardelli Chocolate Co., Jelly Belly Candy Co., Just Born Quality Confections, The Promotion In Motion Cos., Inc., and R.M. Palmer Co.
- The CCAI takes its cues from the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), another self-regulating industry effort from the CBBB. Six confections makers already belong to CFBAI and have made a commit to not advertise to children, including American Licorice Co., Ferrero USA, The Hershey Co., Mars., Inc., Mondelez International, and Nestle.
Dive Insight:
Because children are avid consumers of candy, it makes sense that candy manufacturers would highlight their efforts to not target their advertising at children by forming a separate organization. It serves as a public commitment to transparency, corporate responsibility, and ethical advertising as childhood obesity rates are on the rise.
While industry self-regulation could be promising, not all outsiders see it as having been effective. A study published last year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that four out of five foods marketed to children fell into "the poorest nutritional category," despite the 17 major U.S. food companies that joined CFBAI having complied with their commitments.