The newly launched Children’s Confection Advertising Initiative (CCAI), modeled on the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI) and its Core Principles, is the latest food industry self-regulatory announcement under which participants agree to limit advertising to children under 12 or in elementary schools (from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade). The Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) and the National Confectioners Association (NCA) will lead the CCAI.

The initiative is aimed at small- and mid-sized companies and has fewer administrative requirements than the CFBAI. “Charter participants” are Ferrara Candy Company; Ghirardelli Chocolate Company; Jelly Belly Candy Company; Just Born Quality Confections; The Promotion in Motion Companies, Inc.; and R.M. Palmer Company. They join six CFBAI participants (American Licorice Company; Ferrero USA; The Hershey Company; Mars, Incorporated; Mondelez International; and Nestlé) in the pledge to restrict advertising to kids under 12.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez released a statement praising the formation of the initiative: “This new initiative is a welcome addition to the CBBB’s existing [CFBAI] and represents the type of self-regulatory solution the FTC has long advocated…. I also hope that this new partnership with the [NCA] will encourage other smaller candy companies to participate.”