Eat Junk Food For Health Or The Health Of Corporate America?

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" Misty L. Trepke " <mistytrepke

 

Sun, 26 Sep 2004 19:46:22 -0000

[s-A] PepsiCo Labels Some of Its Snacks " Smart "

 

 

Eat Junk Food For Health Or The Health Of Corporate America? F.

 

 

 

Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

 

PepsiCo labels some of its snacks 'smart'

By Julie Schmit, USA TODAY

9/2/2004

 

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2004-09-02-smart-

spot_x.htm

 

Finally, Cheetos are a smart choice.

The baked kind, that is. Or so says PepsiCo (PEP), which sells them.

 

PepsiCo, saying it wants to give consumers a " little shortcut to a

healthier life, " has deemed more than 100 of its food and beverage

products worthy of green " Smart Spot " stickers that read " smart

choices made easy. "

 

Products making the grade include some that wouldn't necessarily be

considered healthy, such as baked Cheetos and baked Lays potato

crisps. The thinking: Baked is better than fried. " It's a smart

choice in its given category, " says PepsiCo spokesman Mark Dollins.

The stickers, appearing on the first products Wednesday, will be

fully rolled out by year's end.

 

Some nutrition experts aren't impressed. The stickers may encourage

people to eat foods they " shouldn't be eating at all, " says nutrition

professor Marion Nestle at New York University.

 

The campaign is one of several by food giants recently to promote

health and wellness amid rising public concern about obesity. Kraft

Foods recently introduced 100 Calorie Packs of popular Nabisco snacks

including Chips Ahoy! and Kraft Cheese Nips. The thinking: Help

people watch calories.

 

To make the Smart Spot grade, PepsiCo products must meet criteria

chosen by PepsiCo but based on " authoritative statements " from the

Food and Drug Administration and the National Academy of Sciences,

the company says.

 

What's a passing grade? That depends. A " snack " such as Cheetos

cannot get more than 35% of its calories from fat. NAS recommends 20%

to 35% of calories a day from fat. Baked Cheetos comes in at 34.6%,

fried at 56.3%.

 

A " food " product cannot contain more than 30% of calories from fat.

Winners there include Life cereal, Quaker Instant Oatmeal and Aunt

Jemima Butter Lite Syrup.

 

The products cannot have any trans fats and must meet other nutrient

criteria unless they have specific health or wellness benefits. For

example, Gatorade's added sugar provides energy. Or, if they have at

least 25% fewer calories, fat, sugar or sodium than a " base " product.

 

While abstinence may be the healthiest option, people eat chips, says

Penny Kris-Etherton, professor of nutrition at Penn State University.

If so, baked " is a healthier option. "

 

Whether consumers, perhaps jaded by low-fat or low-carb claims that

fell short of their expectations, will see Smart Spot stickers as

helpful or just savvy marketing remains to be seen. If the latter,

" Pepsi will pay for that on the bottom line, " says Lynn Dornblaser of

market research firm Mintel Group.

 

Smart Spot products accounted for 38% of PepsiCo's U.S. revenue last

year.