Burger King to restrict kids' advertising
September 11, 2007
MIAMI — Burger King Corp. has announced it will join 11 major food and beverage companies that have pledged to focus their advertising to children under 12 on products that promote healthy dietary choices and lifestyles.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus also has approved Burger King's advertising commitment as being consistent with the core principles set out in the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative.
Burger King will follow a set of nutrition guidelines with respect to the products it advertises to children under 12 years old. By December 2008, such advertising will be limited to Kids Meals that provide:
- No more than 560 calories per meal
- Less than 30 percent of calories from fat
- Less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat
- No added trans fats
- No more than 10 percent of calories from added sugars
These standards are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 and other scientifically established dietary recommendations.
A Burger King Kids Meal that will meet the criteria is in development and will be available in restaurants in 2008. The Kids Meal is planned to include Flame Broiled Chicken Tenders (four piece), Mott's Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce and Hershey's 1-percent lowfat milk. Another product in development is BK Fresh Apple Fries, fresh-cut red apples sliced to resemble real fries served in a Frypod.