FDA Action Needed to Address Diet Coke’s Blatant & Unlawful Use of Heart Health Claims
The Public Health Advocacy Institute is asking the FDA to investigate and take enforcement action against The Coca-Cola Company’s unlawful use of heart health claims on cans of Diet Coke. In February of 2010, 2011 and 2012, The Coca-Cola Company has released Diet Coke cans labeled with a large red heart symbol, the National Heart […]
General Mills Uses Whole Grain Claims to Distract from Sugar Content
By Cara Wilking, Staff Attorney Like a good mother, General Mills loves all of her “Big G” cereals the same. Consumers, however, should not. The company has chosen to market all of its Big G cereals as containing “More Whole Grain Than Any Other Ingredient*” (the asterisk takes you to the disclaimer “*as compared to […]
The Cost of McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys
By Cara Wilking, Staff Attorney The passage of San Francisco’s Healthy Food Incentives Ordinance and McDonald’s recent decision to “comply” with the law by charging 10 cents in order to be able to include toys with meals that do not meet minimal nutritional criteria has engendered a lot of public debate. The following table summarizes information […]
PHAI Releases New Resources to Use Law to Fight Junk Food Marketing to Kids
Food and beverage marketing targeting children is a major focus of the food and beverage industry because, as the Institute of Medicine’s report on the subject bluntly declared, “marketing works.” Deceptive and unfair marketing to promote high-calorie low-nutrient foods and beverages affect parent-consumer food purchasing decisions and induce demand among children for products that contribute […]
Coca-Cola Unscathed by Happy Meal Changes?
1.3 ounces of french fries are out. Caramel dipping sauce is out. A few apple slices are in. Sugary drinks, however, appear to be fully in the mix if not more so now. The 12 oz. “child’s size” Happy Meal soft drink, ranging from 110-120 calories for the non-diet carbonated options, remains the same. The […]
McDonald’s Happy Meals with Soda & Fries Still the “Most Popular” Meal Combinations
by Cara Wilking, J.D. The National Restaurant Association announced last week that a number of chain restaurants will be offering healthier children’s meal menu options. McDonald’s has opted not to participate in the initiative. Likely it will point to the fact that it already offers apple slices and milk and that it only advertises […]
Organizations that Care About Health Should Play No Part in the Soft Drink Industry’s Effort to Rehabilitate Its Public Image
by Cara Wilking, J.D. CLICK HERE DOWNLOAD THIS POST AS A PDF INTRODUCTION The United States has the highest per capita rate of carbonated soft drink consumption in the world at 736 eight-ounce servings or 46 gallons per person in 2009.[1] The soft drink industry is dominated by three major companies: The Coca-Cola Company (“Coke”), […]
State Laws Prevent Local Control Over Much More Than Just Happy Meal Toys
Prepared by Cara Wilking, J.D., Staff Attorney Santa Clara County, CA and the City and County of San Francisco, CA enacted ordinances requiring restaurants to meet nutrition criteria for children’s meals that use incentive items such as toys to drive child consumer demand. Neither law bans the use of toys or other incentive items, and […]
Journal of Public Health Policy issues Call for Papers on changing food industry behavior
The Journal of Public Health Policy’s Co-Editor, Anthony Robbins and Editorial Board Member and Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition at NYU, Marion Nestle, have recently issued a Call for Papers for the Journal in an editorial entitled: Obesity as collateral damage: A call for papers on the Obesity Epidemic. We at PHAI encourage colleagues in […]
Arkansas State Consumer Protection Profile
Download the Arkansas State Consumer Protection Profile (pdf) Which state consumer protection provisions could be used to protect consumers from junk food marketing? The Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (“ADTPA”) generally prohibits unconscionable, false and deceptive trade practices. Ark. Code §§ 4-88-107. It is unlawful to “[k]nowingly making a false representation as to the characteristics, […]
