Twinkies’ Parent Company Joins Movement To Restrict Marketing To Kids Under 13

Last month, Unilever announced that beginning 2023, it would no longer be marketing its portfolio of food and beverage brands, which includes Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, and Wall’s to children under the age of 16 as part of an industry-wide initiative to market sweets responsibly. 

Now, Hostess Brands—which owns Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Zingers, and Voortman—will join the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), pledging not to advertise to children under 13 years old apart from when its products comply with the CFBAI’s Uniform Nutrition Criteria. 

According to the company, it decided to join the CFBAI efforts after the 2021 launch of its first national advertising campaign in a decade, Live Your Mostess, which featured many products from the firm’s growing sweet snacks category. 

“We’ve experienced accelerated business growth over the past two years and are proud to join CFBAI,” said Dan O’Leary, Chief Growth Officer of Hostess Brands.

“This pledge marks an important milestone in our transformation journey as we demonstrate our commitment to building a socially responsible snacking powerhouse,” he added. 

[via The Business Journals and Hostess Brands / PR Newswire, cover image via Adrianadh | Dreamstime.com]