World First Agreement On Soft Drinks In Schools

For immediate release

World first agreement on soft drinks in schools

Schools honouring the commitments of the voluntary schools agreement will comply with the Government guidelines on food and drink in schools announced this week.

The voluntary agreement was signed between the beverage industry and government (Ministry of Health and Education) in December 2006 to stop directly selling full sugar carbonated soft drinks and full sugar energy drinks to all schools (primary, intermediate and secondary) by 11 December 2009. Honouring this agreement is all schools need to do to comply with the beverage component of the National Administration Guidelines.

The voluntary agreement, led by Coca-Cola Amatil (N.Z) Limited, is the industry commitment to do its small part in the battle against rising obesity levels in New Zealand.

The beverage industry was, and still is, the first group to sign a voluntary agreement to help in the fight against obesity under the Food Industry Accord.

Coca-Cola Amatil (N.Z) Limited Managing Director, George Adams, says we took a proactive leadership position in line with our 2003 voluntary removal of fizzy drinks from primary schools.

"The debate needs to shift to areas which will have a much greater reduction on obesity levels – such as healthy lifestyles, increased physical activity and balanced food choices - not unrealistic bans, which simply don't work!" Mr Adams says.

"Sugar free soft drinks including Diet Coke, Sprite Zero and the recently launched Coke Zero are all fantastic alternatives and their rapidly growing levels of consumption are sound evidence that consumers demand for sugar free soft drinks continues to grow. In fact they now represent more than 40% of soft drink consumption in NZ," Mr Adams says.

ENDS

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