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Drink Makers Expand Offerings in Schools

By JANE ZHANG, The Wall Street Journal,

Posted: 2007-08-20 18:30:44

(Aug. 20) - The beverage industry, which voluntarily agreed last year to limit sales of sugary drinks in schools, has expanded its list of drinks that may be sold in high-school vending machines.

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Under a May 2006 agreement with the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, beverage companies said they would halt sales of full-calorie sodas in schools and limit the container size and calories of other beverages they sell there. The agreement specified that the companies could sell, in addition to milk and water, diet sodas, sports drinks, unsweetened and lower-calorie juices in high schools.

The amendment, which got little notice when it was approved by the parties in May 2007, effectively allows bottlers to include some other, fast-growing products in the midcalorie range, such as certain iced teas and vitamin-fortified waters, as long as they have fewer than 100 calories per 12 ounces.

Calorie counts vary for fortified waters, but most flavors of Glaceau VitaminWater, recently acquired by Coca-Cola Co., and SoBe LifeWater, owned by PepsiCo Inc., have 75 calories per 12-ounce bottle.

One result of the change is that students are likely to be able to choose from a wider selection of drinks in school vending machines.

Sales of so-called enhanced water rocketed to $884.7 million in 2006 from $20 million in 2000, according to Beverage Marketing Corp., a beverage industry consulting firm in New York. Meanwhile, sales of carbonated soft drinks grew by 11.6%. Sales of all drinks in schools account for less than 1% of total sales for the big beverage companies, however.

Margo G. Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer group in Washington, expressed disappointment at the change, as students will have more choices of midcalorie drinks. The group is working with Sen. Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat, on a school-food bill that would give the federal government authority to regulate what drinks should be put in school vending machines. Kevin Keane, a spokesman for the American Beverage Association, an industry group, said the amendment clarifies what "water" means in the agreement. "It's a pretty straightforward, commonplace move, and a pragmatic move," he said. An "overly Draconian policy" wouldn't help meet students' needs and can limit the industry's growth potential, he added.

2007-08-20 17:57:42

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7 comments

ps7603 06:15:24 PM Aug 21 2007

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I WISH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD STAY OUT OF BUSINESS ... IF THEY SELL SUGAR ... FINE ... IF YOU DON'T LIKE SUGAR ... DON'T BUY IT. WHAT IS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THAT?

tierneydennis 03:14:00 PM Aug 21 2007

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It's a shame you need the government to make decisions "Choices" for you. On what you should and shouldn't drink and eat. If you don't like the sugar don't buy it and the product will change.

esquimax 02:42:29 PM Aug 21 2007

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There is NO sugar in American soft drinks. Read the contents. It is corn syrup. Sugar has not been used in soft drinks for many years except for a small batch of Dr. Pepper available only in Waco, TX. That's why I chose to drink Mexican soda, made with good old Cane Sugar. The Coke you buy in the United States has no sugar but everywhere else in the world it does. BTW, if corn syrup tastes like sugar to you, then I imagine margarine tastes like butter to you.

phillead2 02:05:00 PM Aug 21 2007

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Brush your teeth

jlind13810 09:46:44 PM Aug 20 2007

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Oh, yeah, not to mention the novacain or I will not even let them touch me.

jlind13810 09:45:44 PM Aug 20 2007

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Yes, I will be 53 on Aug. 29 and I think what few teeth I did not knock out I lost due to all the sugar we had growing up! I still have to have gas and and a stiff drink before I get to the dentist due to the old days of the hot water drills they used for cavities they filled with lead!

mr832 08:26:00 PM Aug 20 2007

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So GLAD somebody finally took the sugary carbonated beverages out of the
schools. Now we need to get all the sugar out of the low calorie drinks
and teas. Why do they put all that sugar in the drinks?????

Would Bill Clinton or SOMEBODY please take the sugary cereals out of the
supermarkets? and get some healthy lunches for the school kids??
PLEASE --- We are crying for some help here.

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7 comments