Will larger labels help offset weight gain? That's what the folks at Coca-Cola are hoping.
New Coca-Cola packaging will feature prominent nutritional labels on the front of all its products by the end of 2011. The company hopes that the "at-a-glance" labeling will allow consumers to quickly find important nutritional information while grocery shopping.
"One thing nearly everyone agrees on, though, is that balancing calorie intake with regular exercise is the key to weight management," announced Coca-Cola in a press release. "And label literacy is the key to sensible calorie intake — people need information and it needs to be easy to find and understand."
The effort is not without controversy though. Many find the attempt by Coca-Cola to be a shrouded move to wield off the government's consideration of imposing a soda tax on the beverage industry, as health experts blame these sweet sodas for the rising rates of obesity.
What do you think of Coca-Cola's new move?
Diane von Furstenberg
Killah
McQ by Alexander McQueen
Is labeling really the problem here? I doubt that larger labels will really make a difference. If somebody is concerned about his or her calorie intake, he or she would check the label as it is. If somebody is not health conscious, the label will not mean anything to them either way.
1If Coke wants to put the info larger on the label, I don't mind.
Ultimately whether or not the calorie count is larger on the label, it comes down to individuals having the personal responsibility to understand what is healthy and what is not. What can be enjoyed in moderation and what can be done to stay at a healthy weight.
I would assume that a larger label, calorie count on a menu board or a tax will do little to instill this responsibility. But that's just me. You either care about your health or you don't.
2Coke is vile, disgusting stuff. My husband drinks five of them a day. I think anything that alerts people to how terrible it is nutritionally is awesome.
3Sy I agree with you.
4It's a publicity move, sure, but I see no controversy. If it helps a few people make better choices, good enough. I don't see a potential for negative effects.
5Sorry, but this is dumb. Taking the corn syrup out would be a better choice.
6I voted "It's just trying to avoid the soda tax". At the end of the day, however, who cares why Coke is doing it? Consumers can't help but notice the extreme lack of nutrition Coke has and take full responsibility for it if they still choose to drink it. Also, Coke can safely say that consumers know all about the empty calories they are about to drink.
7haha i just had a can of coca cola yesterday after like a year without tasting, it was yummy, but not my thing, it was an impulse purchase anyway i dont think its a malicious move, just trying to get publicity
8As a Registered Dietitian and consultant to the food and beverage industry, I feel that Coca-Cola's nutrition labeling empowers individuals to make informed choices to better manage their health and weight. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, about three-quarters of U.S. adults report using nutrition labels on packaged foods and beverages, while about one-half say labels influence their purchases. Yet, two-thirds of adults in this country are still overweight or obese. Obesity is a multi-causal issue and is not caused by one food or drink. The key to weight management is still balancing calories in with regular physical activity. Coca-Cola is simply trying to make it easier for consumers to make wise calorie choices. I applaud Coca-Cola for providing useful and easy-to-read nutrition information for their consumers, and hope that other beverage companies will follow Coca-Cola's lead.
9It's probably just to avoid the soda tax because anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that regular Coca-Cola has sugar/calories in it. If people want healthier soda, they'll buy the diet versions. And if they do want to drink Coke, they should figure the calorie count into their daily total.
10They can put those labels... it doesn't make the coke healthier
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