Global beverage company Coca Cola says it has removed half of its advertisements at South African schools as part of its responsible advertising commitments.
This includes not advertising sugar sweetened drinks to children under the age of 12.
The company was responding after a group of members of the Healthy Living Alliance(HEALA) picketed outside Coca Cola offices in Rosebank in the north of Johannesburg on Wednesday.
They are demanding that the company stop promoting sugary drinks to children as they lead to non communicable diseases and obesity in children.
Head of public affairs at Coca Cola Asia Shaik says, “We have been on a journey in partnership with schools, with government in removing our sign boards outside of schools. More than 50% of our sign boards have been removed, we are on a journey with that.We believe in partnerships.”
“We are concerned about the obesity epidemic in SA, particularly in children and we believe only through partnerships, working with government, civil society, with HEALA on understanding the problems then we can address concerns and challenges.”
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