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Consumers Squash Soft Drink Marketing

Posted January 10, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Alexandra M. Haller

Section: Her Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Weight Control, Her News

Do you think there is a strong link between rising rates of childhood obesity and soft drink consumption? The evidence is growing. After all, downing large amounts of any beverage that is high in sugar and calories isn’t very health conscious. Sugar turns to fat, and then the pounds pile on. Because of this rationale, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is teaming up with other organizations across the globe to implore the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo to decrease their soft drink marketing and get on the right path to keeping kids healthy.

On January 3, 2008, over twenty health and consumer groups sent an onslaught of letters to the soft drink companies. These letters are partly the result of the Global Dump Soft Drinks Campaign. According to their website, their aim is to “reduce consumption of high calorie carbonated sodas and other beverages as part of an international campaign to improve diet and health.”

The letters that were sent to Coke and Pepsi minced no words. The CSPI was blunt and aggressive as they made their demands for how each company could contribute to a healthier population. In a 6-point bulletin, they asked the companies to “cease all marketing of sugar-laden and/or caffeinated beverages to children under 16”; “stop selling sweetened beverages, including sports drinks, and non-carbonated fruit-flavored beverages, and teas, in all public and private elementary, middle, and high schools”; and “prominently display the calorie content, per serving, on the front labels of container.”

The CSPI wants companies to place rotating consumer alerts placed on the front of containers and limit their sponsorships promoting physical activity. Lastly, they fiercely implore soft drink manufacturers to “not interfere with government consideration of fiscal measures, such as a small sales or other tax on soft drinks that would be returned to consumers through the provision of physical activity and nutrition education programs.”

We are fighting a global-scale problem of childhood obesity. Some experts are saying this will be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents, while many others are certain that the American people are nearing an all-out epidemic of obesity - and the dangerous health problems that accompany it.

For research and more information, see the campaign website here.

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Tags: american obesity, beverage health, childhood obesity, coca-cola, coke, cspi, nutrition, obesity epidemic, pepsi, pepsi co, soda, soft drink marketing, soft drinks, unhealthy drinks, weight control

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