Paradox: Look Who’s Supporting the Anti-Obesity Movement

March 26, 2012

The U.K. Department of Health announced on Saturday that it had gained commitments from 17 food manufacturing companies to reduce calories in their products as part of a push to reduce the prevalence of obesity in the country. Among those pledging their support were Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE:KO), Tesco Plc (NASDAQ:TSCO), and the Asda super market chain, which is owned by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT). According to the Department of Health more than 60 percent of British adults and a third of 10 to 11 year-old children are overweight or obese.

Coca-Cola Great Britain announced on its website that it would invest 15 million pounds ($24 million) by 2014 to reformulate some of its soft drinks. The company aims to reduce its products’ calories per liter by 30 percent. Additionally, Coca-Cola pledged to increase the advertising budget of its low calorie offerings, Diet Coke and Coke Zero, by 25 percent in Great Britain.

“This is a very encouraging start,” Dr. Susan Jebb, Cambridge, England-based head of diet and population health at the government-funded Centre for Diet and Activity Research, said in a statement. “I am impatient to make progress. I know some other companies are already developing their plans, but we need everyone, all companies — from all sectors and all sizes – - to step up and act for the good of the nation’s health.”

Other companies pledging their support of the British initiative include Nestle SA, Premier Foods Plc (NYSE:PFD), Marks & Spencer Group Plc (NYSE:MKS), WM Morrisons PLC, J Sainsbury Plc, Waitrose Ltd., Kerry Foods Ltd., Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE:KFT), Mars Inc. (NYSE:MMC), PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE:PEP), Unilever NV, Whitbread Plc, Subway Restaurants, and Compass Group Plc, according to the Department of Health.