Arizona Preemptively Blocks Potential Fast Food Toy Bans

Some Arizona lawmakers are determined to ensure that nobody messes with the toys in unhealthy kids' meals. The state's House Commerce Committee recently voted to block local governments from imposing any restrictions on giveaways offered by restaurants, which includes everything from toys and games in fast food meals to coupons for seniors.

While there are currently no proposed bans in Arizona, the Arizona Restaurant Association, which helped draft the bill, is clearly shaken by the hard-won fast food toy ban for kids' meals high in fat, sugar, and salt that recently passed in San Francisco, as well as those underway in Nebraska and other states. But the preemptive legislation restricts the rights of local municipalities that may wish to encourage more nutritious options for children and curb the predatory marketing tactics that fast food restaurants use to lure kids to unhealthy fare. The bill, HB 2490, was approved 6 to 2, and is now headed for a full vote in the House.

Supporters of the bill, which include restaurant owners and fast food lobbyists, argued that using incentives like toys are essential to driving sales. Yet research continues to show that young children are unable to determine that they are being marketed to, and therefore such incentives are unfairly deceptive. Some folks even argue that this type of advertising is illegal. And to be clear, bans such as the one in San Francisco, don't outlaw toys entirely or even keep parents and kids from ordering unhealthy meals for that matter. Instead the ban prevents restaurants from using toys as a lure for meals that don't meet specific nutritional guidelines or include a certain amount of fruits and vegetables.

As fast food marketing tactics aimed at children have grown increasingly more aggressive and childhood obesity levels continue to rise, cities and counties should be allowed to enact legislation that protects our most vulnerable eaters. Considering Arizona was recently rated as one of the top 10 states with the deadliest eating habits – a concerning statistic largely attributed to fast food consumption – the state's lawmakers should be looking for ways to support healthy eating initiatives, not block them. A few years ago, the state approved a junk food ban in elementary and middle schools, so clearly Arizona has at least somewhat of a vested interest in encouraging healthier options for children.

If a city or county in Arizona — or any state, for that matter — wishes to create an ordinance that curbs predatory marketing schemes and promotes healthier meals, then they should be allowed to do so. As HB 2490 makes its way to the House for a full vote, Arizona's representatives need to remember that the Arizona Restaurant Association should not be dictating what local communities can or can't do to establish healthy eating initiatives.  Sign our petition telling Arizona to let communities decide if they want to ban toys in unhealthy kids' meals.

Photo credit: Beau Giles via Flickr