Health Claims in Food Advertising : The FTCs Experience

1
Health Claims in Food Advertising The FTCs
Experience

• J. Howard Beales
• Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection
• Federal Trade Commission

The views expressed are those of Mr. Peeler and
do not necessarily represent the views of the
Federal Trade Commission or any individual
Commissioner.
2
Regulatory Responsibilities
Responsible for approval of all new drugs and
for labeling of foods
Responsible for advertising of foods
3
Three Major Analyses by the FTCs Bureau of
Economics

• CEREAL STUDY Health Claims in Food Advertising
  and Labeling A Study Of The Cereal Marketing
  (1989)
• HEALTH CLAIMS STUDY Advertising Nutrition and
  Health Evidence from Food Advertising 1977-1997
  (2002)
• FAT STUDY Information and Advertising Policy
  A Study Of Fat and Cholesterol Consumption in the
  United States 1977-1990 (1996)

4
Cereal Study

• PURPOSE
• Measure effect Of All Bran ad campaign
• Compare results to pre-campaign period when
  information came only from government and general
  sources

5
Cereal Study

• FINDINGS
• Positive effect on fiber consumption
• Positive effect on fiber content of foods
• Positive effect on consumers knowledge about the
  relationship between fiber consumption and
  reduced risk of cancer
• Gains are largest among most disadvantaged
  segments of the population
• Some spill-over to other products
• But those gains are greatest among more
  advantaged consumers

6
Findings Significant Increase In Market
Share-Weighted Fiber Content Of Cereals
Numbers are in percent of 1978 values.
Source Health Claims in Advertising and
Labeling A Study of the Cereal Market, Bureau of
Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission,
August 1989, Figure 3-1.
7
Percent Eating Fiber Cereals Households With
Without Male Head
Source Health Claims in Advertising and
Labeling A Study of the Cereal Market, Bureau of
Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission,
August 1989, Figure 4-2.
8
Percent Eating Fiber Cereals By Race
Source Health Claims in Advertising and
Labeling A Study of the Cereal Market, Bureau of
Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission,
August 1989, Figure 4-3.
9
Health Claims Study

• PURPOSE
• Test effect of regulatory environment on health
  claims in advertising
• Review of magazine advertising from 1977 to 1997
• 11,647 ads analyzed

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Percent of Ads with Health Claims
Source Advertising Nutrition Health Evidence
from Food Advertising 1977 - 1997, Bureau of
Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission,
September 2002, Page 4.
11
Percent Of Fats and Oil Ads With Disease and
Affiliated Claims
Source Advertising Nutrition Health Evidence
from Food Advertising 1977 - 1997, Bureau of
Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission,
September 2002, Page 6.
12
Percent of Ads with Calorie or Dieting Claims
calorie and dieting claims calorie
comparative claims
13
Number of Fat and Oil Ads with Saturated Fat
Claims
Source Advertising Nutrition Health Evidence
from Food Advertising 1977 - 1997, Bureau of
Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission,
September 2002, Page 7.
14
Fat and Saturated Fat ConsumptionWomen, 19-50
Years, Spring and Summer
15
Fat and Saturated Fat ConsumptionMen, 19-50
Years, Spring and Summer
16
Heart and Cholesterol Claims
Source Advertising Nutrition Health Evidence
from Food Advertising 1977 - 1997, Bureau of
Economics Staff Report, Federal Trade Commission,
September 2002, Page 5.