“I want to commend ConAgra for its voluntary commitment, which indicates that ConAgra recognizes its responsibility to children and the importance of taking steps to combat the childhood obesity epidemic. As childhood obesity is a serious public health issue, it is vital that food and beverage marketers adopt socially responsible marketing strategies. I look forward to reviewing the full details of ConAgra’s new criteria.”

ConAgra has pledged to set nutritional criteria for the foods the company will advertise in media primarily directed to children under 12, though the specific criteria will not be finalized until early 2008.

In July, 11 major food, beverage and restaurant companies pledged to the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) that they would eliminate the use of licensed characters to market unhealthy food and beverage products and limit marketing to children 12 and younger to foods that meet specific nutritional guidelines, or eliminate marketing to children altogether. Con Agra’s commitment today makes them the 13th company to join the CBBB’s Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. Burger King joined less than one month ago.

This summer’s pledges to the CBBB followed a congressional hearing chaired by Rep. Markey calling attention to the relationship between marketing unhealthy food and childhood obesity, and letters from Rep. Markey to five major food companies calling on them to implement nutritional restrictions on marketing to children.

ConAgra Letter to Rep. Markey