The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has threatened to sue cereal-maker Kellogg and media kingpin Viacom, owner of the Nickelodeon cable network, if neither stop marketing health-harming foods to children within 30 days.
Out of more than 50 TV ads for Kellogg products, 98 percent of them were for products whose ingredients included, by weight, more than 35 percent of extra sugars.
The lawsuit aims to prevent companies from marketing junk food when 15 percent or more of the audience is 8 years old or younger. It seeks to include not only television commercials, but also Web sites, toy giveaways, contests and other marketing aimed at children.
A lawsuit of this nature has not occurred since 1983, when General Foods company settled a case out of court.
