Disney bans all junk food
Disney bans all junk food
Daily Mail
London
October 17, 2006
17/10/06 - News section
Disney announced today it is severing all connections with junk food.
Burger and chips will soon be off the menu at its theme parks worldwide. Film and cartoon characters will no longer be used to promote salty snacks and sugary drinks.
The move by such a powerful and influential company is being hailed as a major breakthrough in the battle against obesity among children.
Out will go products such as The Incredibles Pop Tarts and Winnie The Pooh biscuits. In could be Nemo mineral water and porridge courtesy of Goldilocks. Disneyland, Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Paris will serve up vegetables and fruit juice.
The firm is also ending its 10-year $1 billion deal with McDonald's to advertise on its happy meals.
Walt Disney Corporation has come under pressure-for years in Britain to follow the lead of the BBC in banning its children's programme characters from tie-ins with junk food.
Critics say Disney characters have driven the worst forms of pester power.
The company says that its change of policy means it will only lend its name to products that meet standards for healthy eating.
In its licensing deals from 2009 Disney will in most cases refuse to link its brand to foods that get more than 30 per cent of their calories from fat, over 10 per cent from saturated fat and in excess of 10 per cent from added sugar. "Sugar things like Lucky Charms and Sugar Frosted Flakes wouldn't make it. Cheerios and Rice Krispies would said James Hill, a child nutrition expert who worked with Disney in recent months as it planned the change in policy.
But Disney's TV channels are still likely to come under fire as they will continue taking junk food ads.
The company's chief finance officer, Thomas Staggs, said more storylines would include a healthy diet and exercise, adding that Disney's new "nutrition programme", which has been worked on for 18 months, would be phased in as current contracts expired.
"Parents try to make intelligent choices, he said. "The right thing to do for our company is to provide them with those choices. Last year, Disney's largest shareholder, Steve Jobs, the head of the Pixar Animation Studio, spoke of his doubts about tie-ins with fast food products.
He said: "There is value, but there also some concerns as our society becomes more conscious of some of the implications of fast food. Earlier this year in Britain, a row erupted over proposed measures unveiled by TV watchdog Ofcom to curb ads for junk food aimed at children, including banning them before 9pm.
Daily Mail
London
October 17, 2006
17/10/06 - News section
Disney announced today it is severing all connections with junk food.
Burger and chips will soon be off the menu at its theme parks worldwide. Film and cartoon characters will no longer be used to promote salty snacks and sugary drinks.
The move by such a powerful and influential company is being hailed as a major breakthrough in the battle against obesity among children.
Out will go products such as The Incredibles Pop Tarts and Winnie The Pooh biscuits. In could be Nemo mineral water and porridge courtesy of Goldilocks. Disneyland, Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Paris will serve up vegetables and fruit juice.
The firm is also ending its 10-year $1 billion deal with McDonald's to advertise on its happy meals.
Walt Disney Corporation has come under pressure-for years in Britain to follow the lead of the BBC in banning its children's programme characters from tie-ins with junk food.
Critics say Disney characters have driven the worst forms of pester power.
The company says that its change of policy means it will only lend its name to products that meet standards for healthy eating.
In its licensing deals from 2009 Disney will in most cases refuse to link its brand to foods that get more than 30 per cent of their calories from fat, over 10 per cent from saturated fat and in excess of 10 per cent from added sugar. "Sugar things like Lucky Charms and Sugar Frosted Flakes wouldn't make it. Cheerios and Rice Krispies would said James Hill, a child nutrition expert who worked with Disney in recent months as it planned the change in policy.
But Disney's TV channels are still likely to come under fire as they will continue taking junk food ads.
The company's chief finance officer, Thomas Staggs, said more storylines would include a healthy diet and exercise, adding that Disney's new "nutrition programme", which has been worked on for 18 months, would be phased in as current contracts expired.
"Parents try to make intelligent choices, he said. "The right thing to do for our company is to provide them with those choices. Last year, Disney's largest shareholder, Steve Jobs, the head of the Pixar Animation Studio, spoke of his doubts about tie-ins with fast food products.
He said: "There is value, but there also some concerns as our society becomes more conscious of some of the implications of fast food. Earlier this year in Britain, a row erupted over proposed measures unveiled by TV watchdog Ofcom to curb ads for junk food aimed at children, including banning them before 9pm.
posted by Jeff Schaler | 6:22 PM
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