NHF comment on moves by the soft drink industry to reduce marketing to children and young people.
26 January 2006
Jane Landon, deputy chief executive of the National Heart Forum, said:
"This industry-wide repackaging of existing commitments by individual companies does not add anything much, other than to demonstrate that the soft drinks industry is feeling under pressure to deliver something or face regulation. It is risk management dressed up as corporate responsibility.
"Very few primary schools accept vending, so it costs the industry nothing to say it will not do what it is not being contracted to do. It's effectively business as usual. What is not clear is whether the industry is going to stop sponsoring school equipment or events. This would be a constructive step forward, in view of the brand appeal created by these commercial activities."
"The acid test for the industry is will their initiatives reduce children's consumption of sugary, caffeinated drinks? I think that this narrow focus on direct commercial activity to primary school age children is unlikely to achieve such a change."
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