WASHINGTON DC – Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, issued the following statement in response to the food industry’s misleadingly named Americans for Ingredient Transparency coalition, which was launched today:
“If there were truth-in-labeling laws governing the naming of campaigns, this coalition would be prohibited from disguising their true intention, which is to wipe out all of the state laws that protect consumers from harmful chemical ingredients in food and hold the industry accountable. It’s disappointing to see these giant food companies investing millions of dollars on high-priced lobbyists and ad campaigns to mislead the public and policymakers instead of removing toxic ingredients from their products.”
The newly-formed industry coalition is made up of a number of trade associations, including the Consumer Brands Association, American Beverage Association, Corn Refiners Association; and major food companies like Nestle, The Coca Cola Company, General Mills, Hormel, and PepsiCo.
Media Contact: Michael McCauley, michael.mccauley@consumer.org