Cadbury to be part of responsible marketing pledge

Chocolate major Cadbury will join the group of companies which yesterday pledged they would not advertise their food & beverage products to children below 12 years.

A Cadbury spokesperson said the company was committed to being part of the pledge and would transition its product marketing strategy to children in accordance with the policy. “The intent is definitely there,” the spokesperson said.

With this, Cadbury joins the seven-member club — Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Nestle, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Mars, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo — which made the pledge to promote healthy dietary habits among young children.

Cadbury’s inclusion is in line with parent company Kraft Foods’ policy of responsible advertising and marketing to children. The US-based food & beverage major has been a votary of the cause for sometime now.

Kraft was one of the first companies in Europe to become a signatory to the EU Pledge, which asks food & beverage companies in the region to desist from advertising their products to children below 12 years.

The India Pledge is said to be part of the EU initiative.

Besides the no advertising clause, the India Pledge also urges companies to desist from commercial communication related to food and beverage products in primary schools, except for those products that fulfill specific nutrition criteria or have been requested by or agreed by the school administrator.

The Pledge also says that these companies will commission an independent compliance monitoring system to keep an eye on the advertising commitment made by them on TV, print and internet, beginning from next January.