Norway, Quebec and Sweden have banned all food advertising during children’s TV programming, and over 30 countries have national laws that set some limits on targeting children. For example, Chile and Mexico have banished Tony the Tiger, Toucan Sam, Chester Cheetah, and other junk food mascots AND require warning labels.

The U.S. has NO restrictions on targeting children with junk food advertising or packaging.

Due to a federal loophole created in 1958 (GRAS), food companies can self-certify chemical additives as safe WITHOUT EVEN NOTIFYING THE FDA. As you might expect, the number of additives in the U.S. food supply has skyrocketed from about 800 to more than 10,000 in the past six decades.

The European Food Safety Authority, on the other hand, adopted the PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE (essentially a guilty until proven innocent standard for food chemicals), which means they conduct pre-market, cumulative effect testing, and the scientists who serve on EFSA councils are prohibited from accepting funding from food companies. As a result, there are currently only 410 EFSA approved additives.

“Literally hundreds of studies link ultra-processed foods to obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and overall mortality.”

–Marion Nestle

Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at NYU

The U.S. currently requires NO warning labels on any food products.

Chile, Peru, Israel, Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Venezuela have adopted laws requiring front of package warning labels on UPFs, and Canada, South Africa and several other countries are developing policies.

“Although tobacco companies eventually sold their food brands to international food and beverage conglomerates in the 2000s, they had already left their stamp on the modern food environment. The addictive nature of these ultra-processed foods undermines consumers’ free will and health in the service of profits. Yet, there is an important difference between tobacco and ultra-processed foods. We all have to eat. No one can opt out.”

– Ashley Gearhardt, Yale University Ph.D. & Psychology Professor at the University of Michigan

Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured, ready-to-eat or heat, include additives, and are largely devoid of whole foods. In other words, if any of the ingredients can only be found in a lab and not your kitchen, it’s UPF. UPFs ARE NOT REALLY FOOD. The purpose of food is to provide nourishment. UPF’s primary purpose is profit.