An American politician has chastised US food and entertainment companies for their marketing practices. “Does Shrek want you to eat junk food?” asked Iowa Senator and former presidential candidate Tom Harkin, labelling the animated ogre “a bad guy if he doesn’t shape up.”
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Harkin said General Mills and other manufacturers spend billions of dollars using popular cartoon characters to get children to eat unhealthy foods.
Last month he introduced a bill to authorize the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Agriculture to regulate food marketing to children. Anticipating big summer success from merchandise linked to the Madagascar and latest Star Wars films, companies are defending their right to advertise, with General Mills, Kellogg, and Kraft forming the Alliance for American Advertising to fight government regulation.
