Can Food Companies be Trusted to Self-Regulate?
An Analysis of Corporate Deception and Lobbying to Undermine Childrens Health Next, Informed Eatings Michele Simon presented on whether the food industry can be trusted to self-regulate, given its track record in undermining childrens health. Her talk highlighted the numerous states where trade groups such as the Grocery Manufacturers Association and companies such as Coca-Cola have lobbied hard to prevent legislation from passing that would remove junk food and soda from schools. While on the one hand, we should be encouraged by the tremendous amount of activity at the state level and can look to legislation as an important legal tool to address the problem of targeting children in schools, Simon also asks the hard question: is this a viable strategy given the huge resources required to overcome corporate opposition? Simon also discussed the myriad ways that food companies make misleading statements about being part of the solution, in order to deflect government regulation. For examp
