Coca-Cola’s new fitness programme for the UK was quickly surrounded by controversy.
The fizzy drinks giant announced it is to fund a £20 million anti-obesity fitness drive in 70 parks in the UK with free activities such as tennis, basketball, rounders and archery.
Nutrition campaigners claimed the company was making an “obscene” attempt to distract the public from its own role in Britain’s obesity epidemic.
Public health officials are concerned that children and young people are coming some 40% more sugar than is recommended, in large part due to soft drinks and fruit juices.
Soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, loaded with nine teaspoons of sugar in every can, accounted for 30% of added sugar intake for those aged between 11 and 18, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey found.
The scheme, marketed by Coca-Cola Zero, will run during the summer in parks in London, Birmingham and Newcastle. Next year, the programme will start to be rolled out to more cities.
Jon Woods, general manager of Coca-Cola Great Britain said that 40% of its sales now include ‘zero calorie’ items, and said “obesity is a great concern for our consumers; 61% of adults are overweight and obese, as are 33% of children."
Coca-Cola, he said, was now taking a more proactive approach in tackling obesity, and should not be blamed for the current levels in Britain.
The fitness programme has the support of former Olympic champion, Sebastian Coe, but the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health welcomed action to increase exercise, but was concerned that marketing by the company would result in greater consumption of sugar and caffeine.
