The commitment is made: the three biggest brands of soda – Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Snapple – will reduce the amount of calories contained in their products by 20% in ten years. This is what the correspondent of the daily les Echos in New York tells us. “For the first time, these manufacturers are acknowledging their responsibility for the increase in obesity, which affects more than one in three American adults, and the risks of diabetes and heart attacks that follow,” concludes the latter.
This is obviously a step forward in the fight against overweight, but make no mistake, these brands of sodas are moving forward under duress. Sales of sodas having fallen, Cokes and other Pepsi hope to revive them by offering less caloric products. In other words, by responding to consumer demand. Worried about the dangers to health that sweeteners can represent, soda manufacturers have indeed decided to play the card of stevia, a natural sweetener which has the advantage of providing no calories. The Coca-Cola Life should for example arrive in France next January.
But, Les Echos are not fooled: “The brands of sodas have not suddenly become concerned about issues of public health and obesity”, warns the economic daily. Simply their economic interests oblige them to move and the pressure of the public authorities is such that they prefer to take the lead. In order not to be imposed too restrictive measures, such as the ban on maxi-sodas imagined by the former mayor of New York, Coca and Pepsi prefer to let go of ballast. They are also fighting hard against a tax on sugary drinks. The latter therefore risks not seeing the light of day, whereas one of the most effective measures to combat obesity would be to increase the price. This was recently demonstrated by an American study. The researchers compared three types of approach: extracurricular physical activity, a tax of one penny per 4.2 grams of sugar in sugary drinks, and a ban on television fast food advertisements targeting young people. children. If all give good results, the increase in prices is, according to the scientists, the one that should be preferred, especially among 13-18 year olds. Finally, will the soda manufacturers’ initiative have the desired effect on health – not on sales! – while the famous Quick brand recently announced that it was going to set up all-you-can-eat soda dispensers?
