Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

The National Confectioners' Association — the lobby group representing candymakers such as Mars, Mondelez International, Nestle, and Hershey — is preparing a $2 million PR budget to fight the idea that candy has played a role in the American obesity crisis, according to Ad Age. The immediate threat they're hoping to stave off is FDA regulation of sugar:

 

... the Center for Science in the Public Interest filed a petition asking the FDA to establishing a recommended safe level of added sugars, particularly in beverages. While the FDA has recommended daily allowances for sodium and fat, it has no such measure for sugar.

 

More broadly, Big Candy has encouraged an interesting effort to persuade companies to move the calorie count label to the front of candy packaging. That seems like a good thing — consumers should get more info about the food they're eating. But what Ad Age doesn't mention is that the calorie labels are printed in green, and — by amazing coincidence! — consumers have a tendency to believe that green food labeling means the food is healthier....