ARLINGTON, Va. -- The National Confectioners Association (NCA), in partnership with the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB), has announced a new self-regulatory initiative that promotes responsible advertising to children.
Under the Children's Confection Advertising Initiative (CCAI), participating companies agree to not advertise directly to children under age 12.
Six companies that make popular brands of candies are the charter participants of CCAI: 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.
They have pledged to not engage in confectionery advertising that is primarily directed to children under age 12 or to advertise their candy in school to children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.
CCAI is modeled after the Children's Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), another CBBB-administered self-regulation program.
The companies join six other confectionery companies--American Licorice Co., Ferrero USA, The Hershey Co., Mars Inc., Mondelez International and Nestlé--that are CFBAI participants that do not advertise directly to children.
"CCAI follows the same principles as CFBAI, but is designed for small-to-medium size confectionery companies and has fewer administrative requirements than CFBAI," said Maureen Enright, director of CCAI and deputy director of CFBAI. "All CCAI participants are making the same commitment--to not engage in child-directed advertising. CFBAI will independently monitor compliance and will publish periodic compliance reports, as it does for CFBAI."
"America's leading confectionery companies are committed to marketing their products responsibly, and participating in this program further solidifies that commitment," John H. Downs, Jr, NCA president and CEO, said. "The candy companies that are members of CCAI and CFBAI make the majority of the candy on store shelves in the U.S."
The National Confectioners Association is the trade organization representing the $35 billion U.S. confections industry.
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