BRUSSELS (Reuters):
EUROPE'S SOFT drinks industry unveiled proposals on Wednesday to drop advertising aimed at children under 12 and remove vending machines from primary schools, to help fight growing obesity in the European Union.
Companies such as Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo would stop screening commercials during children's television programmes, industry umbrella group UNESDA said in proposals presented to the European Commission.
Vending machines would no longer be placed in primary schools unless requested and machines in secondary schools would contain healthier products such as water and juices, and would be labelled with positive health messages.
Soft drinks companies would increase the range of new beverages with a 'low-calorie' or 'no-calorie' content and produce more 'light' versions of existing drinks.
UNESDA represents a large part of Europe's non-alcoholic drinks industry, a huge sector with annual turnover of about 150 billion euros. Its members also include Unilever and Cadbury Schweppes.
DRIVE AGAINST OBESITY
UNESDA's meeting with the commission is part of the EU executive's drive against obesity, launched last year to improve cooperation between the commission, the food and drinks industry and health and consumer groups.
"This is the first time ever that the major beverage producers in Europe come together to ... define their commitments related to responsible sales and marketing practices, especially to children and schools," said Stephen Kehoe, vice-president public and government affairs, PepsiCo Europe.
Pan-European consumers group BEUC hailed the industry's proposals as a "step in the right direction". Companies have yet to say when they will stop advertising aimed at children.
Last year, EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou warned that, unless industry was ready to take action about obesity, he might introduce legislation.
"We welcome the initiative and will now analyse the proposals," a spokesman for the commissioner said.
The commission is expected to give its opinion on the proposals in early March.
