Coca-Cola makes u-turn on Government labelling scheme as it continues healthy lifestyle drive
Coca-Cola GB is to adopt the UK Government’s voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme, back-tracking on a decision made last year, as it continues to position itself as a healthy lifestyle brand.
The drinks giant had initially shunned the scheme, which uses colour coding to show how much fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories is in a product, when it was announced last June.
Jon Woods, general manager of Coca‑Cola UK and Ireland, said the drinks giant has since gauged British consumers’ views on the scheme and decided the colour coded labelling will better help shoppers make a decision that supports a balanced diet.
“The increased choice of products available in stores today is great news for shoppers and we believe that front-of-pack nutritional labelling can help people choose a balanced diet. We have monitored the labelling scheme since it started to appear in-store and asked shoppers in Great Britain for their views.
“They told us they want a single, consistent labelling scheme across all food and drink products to help them make the right choices for them and their families. That is why we have decided to adopt it across our full range of brands”.
The company is investing £20m in community based physical activity projects to inspire one million people to get more active by 2020.
The new, colour coded labelling scheme will appear on packs in-store within the first half of next year.