Coca-Cola will no longer distribute its beverages to secondary schools in Belgium and Luxembourg, Walloon deputy Jean-Philippe Florentt (Ecolo) has announced. The multinational company will cease sales by the end of the year.
Coca-Cola said that it is removing the products in order to respond to the public's "evolving demands of self-regulation".
Santé des jeunes: J'avais interpellé plusieurs fois la Ministre @CarolineDesir sur le fléau des distributeurs de boissons sucrées dans les écoles. Coca-cola annonce aujourd'hui qu'il abandonne "ce marché". ✊👏 Rappel: 10 à 25 % des moins de 18 ans sont en surpoids. pic.twitter.com/A7v6iwMguc
— Jean-Philippe Florent (@jpflorent) April 11, 2023
Tweet translation: Health of young people: I have issued repeated calls to Education Minister Caroline Désir about the scourge of sugary drinks distributors in schools. Coca-Cola announces today that it will drop "this market".
N.B: 10-25% of under-18s are overweight
While its supply of sugary drinks was already halted, the company's other products – such as Diet Coke – were still sold in secondary school vending machines. Their products have not been sold in primary schools for years, Le Soir reports.
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"The next step is to end chocolate bar and crisp distributors. I am clearly in favour of a ban," deputy Jean-Philippe Florent told La Dernière Heure. "Teenagers can eat what they want, the idea is not to ban them from eating chocolate or crisps but simply to remind them that one of the missions of schools is to provide a healthy environment for pupils."
