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The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on a proposal to collect information from food and beverage companies and quick-service restaurants on promotional activities, nutrition information, and expenditures for products marketed to children and adolescents. The proposed study follows one the Commission conducted in 2006 on the same topic. The report on the 2006 study was published in July 2008 and titled “Marketing Food To Children and Adolescents: A Review of Industry Expenditures, Activities, and Self-Regulation”
(http://www.ftc.gov/os/2008/07/P064504foodmktingreport.pdf).

The FTC has approved a Federal Register notice requesting comments on the proposed study. The comments will be considered before the FTC seeks clearance for the study from the Office of Management and Budget, in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The notice provides background on the purpose of the proposal, details the proposed information requests, and tells interested parties how and where to submit their comments. Comments are due to the Commission on or before November 23, 2009.

The Commission vote approving publication of the Federal Register notice was 4-0. A copy of the notice can be found as a link to this press release and on the FTC’s Web site. (FTC File No. P094511; the staff contacts are Carol Jennings, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3010, and Mary Johnson, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3115.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.