Home »
Blog »
Food industry may start to support legislature that limits junk food in schools
Food industry may start to support legislature that limits junk food in schools
Posted on Jul 10, 2009 by Maggie LaBarbera
The food and beverage industry may finally be seeing the light or maybe I should say the "health".With more and more states trying to limit or eliminate junk food from schools, high sugar, high fat food manufacturers are beginning to realize they are fighting an uphill battle. Washington has been trying to introduce a federal law that would limit junk foods in school fueled by the growing childhood obesity epidemic.The American Beverage Association made this statement in response to proposed federal regulations, "We recognize that childhood obesity is a complex problem that will take comprehensive solutions. And our industry is stepping up to do our part."Why is the industry taking this about face? Not too hard to figure out
- It will be much easier for the beverage and food industry to influence one national standard. ie lobbying
- It will be much more difficult to deal with different laws and regulations for each set by the county or even state. Each one will undoubtedly be slightly different, making it harder to comply with them.
- Many of these high sugar, high fat beverage and food manufacturers have already begun to market healthier products that they can sell to the school instead.
But given their motives, let's not kick a gift horse in the mouth. It is great that we are finally realizing that if we all know we have a problem with kids not eating healthy, then why are we selling them unhealthy foods right in school!So this is good that we are moving in the right direction. The food manufacturers will make what we are willing to buy. The funny thing is we have always had the power in our hands, or I should say pocketbooks!
0 Comments