U.S. food companies promise to limit ads for kids

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Some of America's largest food and drink companies, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and General Mills, promised on Wednesday to put stricter controls on advertising aimed at children under 12.

The voluntary steps varied among the 11 companies and were announced as the Federal Trade Commission held a forum to spotlight the need for more responsible food marketing to help address childhood obesity.

McDonald's Corp. said 100 percent of its advertising primarily directed to children under 12 would further the goal of healthy dietary choices.

The Coca-Cola Company said it would not directly market any of its beverages to children under 12, although it said it had a number of drinks including water, juice, dairy and fortified beverages that would qualify for children.

PepsiCo Inc., which makes Frito-Lay snacks, Quaker Foods breakfast cereals and drinks such as Pepsi and Gatorade, will advertise only two of its products to children -- Baked Cheetos Cheese Flavored Snacks and Gatorade energy drinks --and said the ads will emphasize active lifestyles.

PepsiCo said it is taking the additional step of stopping advertising its products in elementary and middle schools.

General Mills Inc., whose products include Trix cereal and Progresso soups, said it will stop advertising foods containing more than 12 grams of sugar per serving to kids under 12. The company said it will also add nutrition highlights to its cereal packaging.

"We want to be part of the solution," said Chris Shea, a senior vice president of General Mills. "We believe that companies like ours can make a difference and can play an important role in providing lower calorie, higher nutrient products to parents and their children."

The head of the Federal Trade Commission praised the 11 companies' moves as "a significant step forward in industry self-regulation" and said companies involved account for two-thirds of television food ads aimed at children.