Coca-Cola
to drop advertising in schools
By
John Steele (The Guardian 26/01/2004)
Coca-cola
is to remove advertising of its products from the front of
around 4,000 vending machines in secondary schools across
Britain.
The
step, a major shift in policy for one of the world's most
energetically promoted companies, follows a decision last
month to remove pictures of products from machines in Scottish
schools.
Coca-Cola
Enterprises, the distribution arm of the company, said the
decision recognised the "conflict" between vending machines
in schools and the status of classrooms as "commercial-free"
areas.
The
company also announced changes to the content of machines
in schools, with a greater emphasis on drinks such as Oasis,
Five Alive and Dasani bottled water.
The
move comes after concerns have been raised about the effects
on children's health, particularly obesity, of fast food and
regular consumption of drinks such as Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola
has 4,000 vending machines (*) in around 1,500 secondary schools
in England, Scotland and Wales. There are none in primary
schools.
The
company operates each machine and pays the school a percentage
of the takings.
In
a programme of changes to machines between now and September,
pictures of cans of Coca-Cola or Fanta will be replaced by
panels showing children playing in a cartoon scene.
Ian
Deste, head of corporate affairs at Coca-Cola Enterprises
(GB), said: "We share the view that classrooms should be a
commercial-free area and clearly there is some conflict then
with highly visible, highly branded machines.
"We
hope this move will be seen as us being responsive to the
sensitivities in this area." He rejected talk of vending machines
being banned from schools altogether.
"There
are three reasons why we are in schools," he said.
"Firstly
our products provide refreshment, secondly we provide a valuable
revenue stream to the school, and finally it enables teachers
to keep children on the premises who might want to leave to
buy the products elsewhere."
Doug
McAvoy, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers,
said: "This is a sensible move but we would like to see the
end of advertising unhealthy food and drink to children altogether."
The
BBC agreed earlier this month to drop mention of Coca-Cola
from its weekly music charts after a sponsorship deal was
criticised.
The
corporation was attacked for plugging the fizzy drinks firm
on the Radio 1 chart rundown and BBC1's Top of the Pops.
Coca-Cola
had signed a multi-million pound deal with the Official UK
Charts Company to sponsor the singles and albums lists.
(*)
Maquinas expendedoras
