The "Coca-Cola Report

The consumer organization foodwatch has criticized Coca-Cola's marketing and lobbying measures as irresponsible. The world market leader for sugar drinks is deliberately targeting children and young people with multi-million dollar marketing campaigns on the Internet and on television. At the same time, the company is trying to torpedo effective regulations such as advertising bans or special taxes through targeted lobbying and has demonstrably tried to sow doubts about the harmfulness of sugary drinks by buying scientists. Coca-Cola thus bore a decisive share of responsibility for the Epidemic of diet-related diseases such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. This is shown by foodwatch's 108-page "Coca-Cola Report," which the consumer organization presented on Wednesday at a press conference in Berlin, right next to the company's German headquarters.

foodwatch called on Coca-Cola to stop its marketing directed at children and young people and, for example, to stop using young YouTube and Instagram stars ("influencers") for advertising purposes. According to the World Health Organization, sugar drinks are (WHO) a major cause of obesity and type 2 diabetes.. Therefore, the new federal government is also called upon to introduce a manufacturer's levy for over-sugared beverages, according to foodwatch. foodwatch had offered Coca-Cola Germany to receive the "Coca-Cola Report" in advance and invited company representatives to contribute their arguments to the debate at a joint press conference. But the chair reserved for the beverage company remained empty.

Liquid pathogens

"Whether with soccer stars on TV or hip influencers in YouTube videos: Coca-Cola knows better than almost any other company how to create a positive image - especially among young people. Yet Coca-Cola's sugar drinks are liquid pathogens„, said Oliver Huizinga, head of research and campaigns at foodwatch and author of the "Coca-Cola Report." "Of course, every child probably knows that cola and soda are not healthy. But it's not about a little too much sugar - just one can a day promotes serious diseases like diabetes. The sugar beverage industry, led by the world market leader, is not just putting products on the shelf and leaving consumers free to choose. Coca-Cola deliberately torpedoes health policy initiatives around the globe and, with the help of lobbying associations, tries to conceal the health risks of sugar drinks - using the same methods as the tobacco industry in the past."

Just one can a day increases the risk of obesity and diabetes

Excessive consumption of sugary drinks has been shown to promote the development of numerous diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and tooth decay. Sugary drinks only provide "empty calories" without important nutrients and without causing appropriate satiety, resulting in excessive calorie intake. Unlike confectionery, for example, where "a handful" is considered unproblematic, sugar drinks are hazardous to health even in comparatively small quantities: one can a day increases the risk of overweight, obesity or type 2 diabetes. Children and young people in Germany - especially boys - drink significantly more sugar drinks than recommended. According to current data from the Robert Koch Institute, male adolescents drink just under half a liter a day.

Coca-Cola gives the impression through a voluntary commitment that it will not direct any advertising to children under 12. But the practice looks different, as the "Coca-Cola Report"by foodwatch shows. With football stars in advertising and campaigns such as the Coca-Cola Advent calendar or the Coke Christmas truck tour, children were specifically targeted. The company also enlisted a whole series of YouTube stars, who are particularly popular with young people, for its marketing campaigns: Nine of the 20 most subscribed "Youtubers" in Germany - some with more than three million subscribers - have already appeared on the Group's own YouTube channel "CokeTV." As presenters, for example, they present entertaining and funny video spots, cleverly modeled in style and style on the most successful youth channels - and always showcasing the Coca-Cola brand well. The most-clicked video on the German Coca-Cola channel has been viewed more than 2.3 million times.

"Youtubers are held in high esteem by their young fans, and the video platform is the most important site on the Internet for children and young people. Coke cleverly harnesses the popular YouTube stars to its marketing cart - in passing, Coke is also repeatedly drunk in the funny videos. The company uses the new idols of children and young people to sell more sugar drinks.says Oliver Huizinga of foodwatch.

At the same time, the global company is also involved at the political level in order to Sowing doubts about the harmful effects of sugar drinks on health and prevent effective regulation of the products, foodwatch outlines in its comprehensive "Coca-Cola Report." One example: As revealed by the New York Times in 2015, Coca-Cola funded a supposedly independent research institution with 1.5 million US dollars. In line with Coca-Cola's position, the research institute publicly argued that the central problem for obesity was not unhealthy nutrition, but lack of exercise.

Coca-Cola fears special levies or taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages

Numerous studies in the past have investigated whether sugar drinks and obesity are related. Thereby find 80 percent of the studies funded by the food industry found that there was no correlation between obesity and the consumption of sugar drinks - whereas 80 percent of independently funded studies come to the opposite conclusion. Internal Coca-Cola emails leaked in 2016 show that the company fears one political measure in particular: Special levies or taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. A Group strategy paper gives the highest priority to fighting back. The clear mandate is to "fight back.

foodwatch also believes that politicians have a responsibility to stop shying away from the conflict with global corporations such as Coca-Cola and the influential lobby and to finally take concrete measures to counter the epidemic of diet-related diseases - such as the World Health Organization or the DANK - German Alliance for Noncommunicable Diseasesn, an alliance of medical societies, have long been calling for. For example, the (German federal) government would have to oblige manufacturers of highly sugared beverages to pay a levy. Numerous countries such as Great Britain, France, Ireland, Belgium and Mexico have adopted such a special tax or levy. In the UK, this led to leading manufacturers lowering the sugar content of their products even before it came into force.

Sources and further information:

• "Coca-Cola Report" from foodwatch
• Stop the sugar war!
• Facts and figures briefly summarized
• Photo gallery from foodwatch
• Correspondence between Coke and foodwatch
• More information about the Manufacturer's levy on sugar drinks in the United Kingdom
• Cancer loves sugar
• The big sugar lie (Arte Documentary)
• Documentary film - The addiction to sugar (NDR documentary)
• From April 6, a new tax on highly sugared drinks will apply in the UK
• Ten pence fee reduces consumption of sweet drinks