Marketing To Kids: FTC, CBBB Weigh In With Reports

While the actual long-term impact on issues such as childhood obesity will require monitoring and study, it appears that major food and beverage marketers' recent commitments to self-regulation of marketing to children are already yielding benefits in the public/governmental perception arenas. - Read the whole story...

Bagged Lunches Adding To Restaurant Slowdown
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Quick Service Restaurants, which have captured nearly 80% of total lunch business thanks to the convenience factor, are being most affected by the brown-bagging trend, NPD reports. And with health consciousness as or more important than money saving, QSRs will have to compete with homemade lunches even when the economy picks up. - Read the whole story...

Out-Of-Home Alcohol Consumption Taking A Dive

Although Americans traditionally drink as much--if not more--alcohol when economic times are tough, new data suggests that out-of-home alcohol consumption is dropping right alongside the economy. The hardest hit? Bars and restaurants on either coast, or wine, which is most often consumed in restaurants. Read the whole story...