Center for Consumer Freedom

The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) (formerly called the Guest Choice Network) represents the interests of the food, alcohol, and tobacco industries. Created in 1995 by Richard Berman, executive director of the public affairs firm Berman and Company, it was initially funded by the Philip Morris tobacco company, but now has a number of corporate sponsors, such as Monsanto, the Coca-Cola Company, and Wendy's International, Inc.

Related Topics:
Food - Tobacco industries - Richard Berman - Berman and Company - Philip Morris - Monsanto - Coca-Cola Company - Wendy's International, Inc.

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The concept of the group, according to a letter to Barbara Trach, then Philip Morris' senior program manager for public affairs, was "to unite the restaurant and hospitality industries in a campaign to defend their consumers and marketing programs against attacks from anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-meat, etc. activists ..."

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The purpose of CCF was to encourage operators of "restaurants, hotels, casinos, bowling alleys, taverns, stadiums, and university hospitality educators" to "support mentality of 'smokers rights' by encouraging responsibility to protect 'guest choice.'" http://www.prwatch.org/documents/berman/gcplan.pdf (pdf)

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CCF runs media campaigns and gives out annual "Nanny Awards" to "those groups and individuals who would protect us from ourselves." http://www.consumerfreedom.com/news_detail.cfm?headline=71

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It is particularly active in opposing animal rights campaigns run by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. CCF is also behind ActivistCash.com, which describes the financial links between activists and certain groups. http://www.activistcash.com

Related Topics:
Animal rights - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

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