Coca-Cola’s Christmas truck is coming to a town near you – but not everyone is thrilled
Coca-Cola’s Holidays Are Coming advert returned to screens last night, prompting delighted social media users to declare that Christmas has now begun.
Coke's famous festive truck is going on tour across the UK
But while Coke’s classic Christmas campaign may have been given a welcome reception online, its plan to take the famous truck on a tour of the UK is proving less popular with health campaigners.
The soft drinks giant is taking the lorry to 44 towns and cities across Britain, handing out free cans of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar as part of the activation.
“Coca-Cola is synonymous with the Christmas season and it’s no secret that our much-loved Christmas Truck Tour marks the unofficial countdown to Christmas," said Aedamar Howlett, marketing director for Coca-Cola Great Britain.
Stops include Harlow in Essex where the council website is encouraging families to “soak up the festive spirit with seasonal music [and] a free Coca-Cola”.
But as the Sunday Times reports, councils were handed responsibility for public health – previously the domain of the NHS – in 2013, and have been calling for curbs on junk food advertising near schools.
The broadsheet quotes Simon Capewell, vice-president of the Faculty of Public Health charity, as saying: “It is utter hypocrisy that councils [are] complicit in the marketing of sugary drinks to children while complaining about the burden of obesity.”
#Councils “utter hypocrisy” promoting #CocaCola while calling for #AdBan#sugar #obesity #kids@Childrensfood@FPHhttps://t.co/vHbd8ulquz pic.twitter.com/l59eDUDgt8
— Simon Capewell (@SimonCapewell99) November 20, 2016
Harlow Council said it was up to parents to decide whether to accept a free drink for their children while Coke's position is that the tour "provides a moment of fun for friends and families in the build-up to Christmas".