Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper said they will work to reduce the amount of calories Americans get from beverages by 20 percent within 10 years, at the Clinton Global Initiative on Sept. 23. The announcement comes as the soda makers face pressure over their contribution to obesity rates.
Soda makers have already made changes in response to the general attitude shift regarding sodas. Coca-Cola Co. and Pepsi Co. have been pushing smaller cans and bottles, which tend to be more profitable now. They market the change as a means of portion control. Both companies have also introduced flavored versions of their bottled waters, Dasani and Aquafina.
Susan Neely, president of the American Beverage Association, says they will focus their efforts on areas that are traditionally less interested in low-calorie drinks. Former President Bill Clinton mentioned onstage at the event that drinks can make up a greater share of the daily caloric intake for lower income people.
The new initiative can also serve to fix the issue of political opposition to beverage companies. The American Beverage Association has spent millions of dollars campaigning against taxes and other measures intended to lower the consumption of sugary drinks. Instead, they have tried to promote the need for awareness of other beverage options and push a healthy balance between caloric intake and exercise. To that end, they have a new ad campaign targeted at teens called “Mixify,” which should start to air nationally on TV this week.
Soon, there is expected to be a federal regulation that would require a clearly marked calorie count on vending machines and other places. However, Neely said soda makers will go a step further and give some kind of additional encouragement to make a healthy choice.