NEW YORK — Coke, Pepsi and Dr Pepper on Tuesday said they’ll work to reduce the calories Americans get from beverages by 20 percent over the next decade by more aggressively marketing smaller sizes, bottled water and diet drinks.
The announcement, made at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, comes as the country’s three biggest soda makers face pressure over the role of sugary drinks in fueling obesity rates.
In many ways, the commitment follows the way customers’ tastes already ARE changing: People have been moving away from soda on their own for several years. In response, Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. have been pushing smaller cans and bottles, which tend to be more profitable and are positioned as a way to control portions.
John Sicher, publisher of the industry tracker Beverage Digest, said the commitment announced Tuesday appears to be a response to the growth challenges the companies are facing, in part because of health concerns.
Susan Neely, president of the American Beverage Association, said the commitment with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation is intended to take such trends “to an ambitious new level.”
On stage at the event, former President Bill Clinton noted that drinks can make up a greater share of daily calorie intake for lower-income people. The Associated Press
