Top firms cut advertising in schools

12th March 2008, 12:29pm

Some of Europe’s biggest food and drink firms such as Coca-Cola, Burger King and Mars have agreed not to promote their products in primary schools.

Elev firms in total pledged to cut food and drink adverts aimed at under 12s from television, print media, the internet and in schools except where they permit them to do so for educational purposes.

The EU Pledge programme is a voluntary commitment which supports a forum set up by EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou to tackle obesity in Europe.

Other firms to have signed the pledge include Danone, Ferrero, General Mills, Kellog, Kraft, Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever.

The 11 firms signed up t the pledge represent two thirds of food and drink advertising spend across the EU.

Peter Robinson, president of Burger King Europe, commented: "We hope this change in the focus of our advertising will support parents in their effort to balance their families' lifestyles."

Richard Watts, campaign co-ordinator at the Children's Food Campaign disagrees with the pledge: "This announcement aims to persuade the EU that the food industry can regulate itself and is not about improving children's health."

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