Almost 2 years ago, the National Assembly banned self-service soda fountains in certain places. This provision will come into force on Friday, according to a decree in the OJ.
A decree published this Thursday in the Official Journal (JO) definitively buries the possibility of making sugary drinks available to the public free of charge. This includes, in particular, soda fountains in public catering establishments, holiday centers, schools and establishments intended for the reception, training and accommodation of minors. The objective of this prohibition is clear: “to limit, in particular among young people, the risks of obesity, overweight and diabetes in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization”, it is written in this text.
A decree published this Thursday in the Official Journal (JO) definitively buries the possibility of making sugary drinks available to the public free of charge. This includes, in particular, soda fountains in public catering establishments, holiday centers, schools and establishments intended for the reception, training and accommodation of minors. The objective of this prohibition is clear: “to limit, in particular among young people, the risks of obesity, overweight and diabetes in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization”, it is written in this text.
The decree, signed jointly by the Ministers of Health, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs also establishes the list of categories of drinks affected by this ban. These are thus “flavored carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, concentrates such as fruit syrups, water-based, milk, cereal, vegetable or fruit-based drinks including sports drinks or beverages. energizers, fruit nectars, vegetable nectars and similar products, provided that these drinks contain added sugars or synthetic sweeteners ”.
20 lumps of sugar in 1 liter of soda
Finally, the decree specifies that it was taken in accordance with the Health law of January 2016. It is a victory for the nutritionists who have long been standing up to these soda fountains. Asked by The Parisian in 2014, Professor Serge Hercberg (1), research director at Inserm, was also categorical about them: “this system contributes to increasing the nutritional divide”.
For this specialist, “it is the most disadvantaged populations affected by obesity who are on the front line when faced with an unlimited supply of sodas”. The nutrition teacher also recalled that a liter of classic soda contains the equivalent of nearly 20 lumps of sugar. An excess of calories which promotes overweight and obesity and, consequently, diabetes and hypertension.
At Quick, where soda fountains exist, we wanted to be reassuring. One of its managers assured in the same daily in 2014 that this system would only increase by 10% the quantities of drinks consumed and that the excesses remain marginal. As a reminder, ANSES (1) recommended this week that the consumption of sugary drinks be less than one glass per day. Lovers of soda or fruit juice type drinks are therefore invited to moderation within the framework of these new benchmarks of the National Health Nutrition Program (PNNS).
(1) The National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety.
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