The Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative
(CFBAI) took efforts to strengthen its self-regulatory program, specifically
updating its uniform nutrition program and a call for lower added sugars and
sodium content, in addressing food marketing aimed towards children. Companies
that participate in CFBAI’s self-regulatory program use the Uniform Nutrition
Criteria to help determine which kinds of food can be advertised to children
aged 12 and below.
According to the CFBAI, all 18 member companies have agreed
to strengthen the Criteria, which includes stricter standards and requirements
like stricter sodium standards, better whole grain food requirements, and an
added sugars criteria.
The revised Criteria are in alignment with the nutritional
policy recommendations and regulatory requirements of the 2015 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans and the FDA’s newer nutritional label guidelines. In
line with such change, the CFBAI has released a White Paper to
further explain the policy change and the rationale for its efforts to address
issues in food advertising to children. The implementation of the revision is
set for January 1, 2020.
For more information, read more about CFBAI's recent update.