Coca-Cola Canada Plans To Bring Global Commitments to Life to Help Fight Obesity

Company Outlines Consistent Business Actions For Communities and Its Products, Packaging, Marketing

TORONTO, May 10, 2013 /CNW/ - Following The Coca-Cola Company's announcement of four global commitments to contribute to healthier, happier, and more active communities, Coca-Cola Canada is outlining how it will bring these commitments to life in Canada. Coca-Cola Canada will:

1)     Offer low- or no- calorie beverage options in every market

• By 2015, Coca-Cola Canada will have a low- or no- calorie option for every type of beverage it offers: sparkling soft drinks, juices and juice drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and enhanced water beverages.

2)     Provide transparent nutrition information, featuring calories on the front of all of our packages

• By 2015, Coca-Cola Canada will place calorie information about its beverages on company-owned vending machines to help consumers make informed decisions.
• In addition to front-of-pack calorie labeling, by 2015, some of the most popular packages for Coca-Cola in Canada will feature messaging to help consumers balance the calories in the package with the calories they burn through physical activity.

3)     Help get people moving by supporting physical activity programs in every country where we do business

• Coca-Cola Canada's ongoing partnership with ParticipACTION has enabled over 192,000 teens to get active in over 3,250 community-based organizations across Canada. To date, it has committed $10 million over ten years to help get teens active.

4)     Market responsibly, including no advertising to children under 12 anywhere in the world

• Coca-Cola Canada strictly adheres to Advertising Standards Canada's Children's Advertising Initiative. Coca-Cola Canada does not buy advertising targeted at audiences made up of more than 35% children under age 12. This policy applies to television, radio, and print and, where data is available, the internet and mobile phones.

In Canada progress has already been made towards some of these commitments. For example, it offers consumers more than 350 different beverage options in Canada; more than 70 of these are low- and no-calorie. In 2010, Coca-Cola Canada began placing calorie information on the front of its packages. Today, the information is on all packaging in Canada with the exception of unflavoured bottled waters - which are 0 calorie.

"This campaign aims to inform people about the concept of energy (calorie) balance, educate them on our products and inspire Canadians to live more active, healthy lives," said Nicola Kettlitz, President, Coca-Cola Ltd. "We continue to expand our portfolio to meet people's evolving needs and preferences. We know choices come in many tastes, shapes and sizes. This week's announcements are our latest efforts to help make a positive difference in helping fight against obesity in Canada."

Last month, Coca-Cola Canada launched a campaign to bring people together to fight obesity in Canada. This campaign has included new investments in active, healthy living programs as well as the launch of a national advertising campaign. The first commercial in the campaign outlines the Coca-Cola Canada's ongoing efforts to educate people about its products, the numerous beverages and package choices it offers and its longstanding support of programs that inspire active healthy lifestyles. It also encourages everyone to be mindful that all calories count in managing weight, including those in Coca-Cola Canada's products and in all foods and beverages. A second spot, called "Calorie Dictionary," will debut later this month. It focuses on energy (calorie) balance and the amount of activity it takes to burn off calories, and demonstrates fun ways to burn off those calories. These efforts are part of a global campaign launched by The Coca-Cola Company earlier this year.

The Coca-Cola Company also has committed to publicly and actively measure the scale and reach of its efforts on www.comingtogether.com. The digital platform provides further details about the Company's global commitments and invites people to learn more about what the Company is doing, track its progress, post feedback and exchange ideas on how we can collectively promote choice, energy (calorie) balance and movement.

Presently, Coca-Cola Canada sells non-alcoholic beverages in nearly every beverage category - from sparkling beverages to water, enhanced and flavoured water beverages, iced tea, juice and juice drinks, sports beverages and energy drinks. Coca-Cola Canada's broad portfolio includes over 70 low- and no-calorie beverages, representing 25 percent of its Canadian portfolio.

About Coca-Cola Canada

Coca-Cola Canada operates in all ten provinces, employing 6,300 people in more than 50 facilities, including seven production facilities, across Canada. We offer a wide variety of non-alcoholic brands; these beverages include sparkling soft drinks, still waters, juices and fruit beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. We're proud to offer some of the most popular brands in Canada including Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coke Zero®, Sprite®, Fanta®, Nestea®, PowerAde®, Minute Maid®, Dasani® and vitaminwater®. Coca-Cola in Canada is represented by Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada and Coca-Cola Ltd.

SOURCE: Coca-Cola Canada