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Coca-Cola Sued for Downplaying Health Risks of Sugar in Drinks

Coca-Cola Sued for Downplaying Health Risks of Sugar in Drinks

Coca-Cola is being sued for allegedly misleading consumers about sugary drinks' health risks. (Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images)

By    |   Friday, 06 January 2017 08:49 AM EST

Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association are being sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) for allegedly misleading consumers about the health risks of sugary drinks.

The suit claims Coca-Cola “spends billions of dollars” on advertising and promotions aimed at convincing people sugary drinks aren’t really all that bad for them, according to Business Insider. Specifically, the lawsuit targets the emphasis of both Coca-Cola and the ABA on “calories in, calories out” and on exercise rather than nutrition. CSPI says that these tactics ignore the links between sugary drinks and obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which have been well-documented.

“The notion that Coke’s products can be part of a healthy diet is imprinted on the minds of millions if not billions of people, and requires corrective action,” CSPI litigation director Maia Kats said, Reuters reported.

Both Coca-Cola and the ABA said the lawsuit was without merit and insisted they were taking many actions to manage consumers’ consumption of sugary beverages, BI said. Coca-Cola now prints calorie information on the front of cans and bottles and does not target children 12 and under in any of its advertising, and it increased the amount of low-sugar and sugar-free offerings.

The lawsuit, filed with the federal court in Oakland, California, is seeking for misleading marketing to be stopped and for more consumer warnings as well as other remedies, Reuters reported.

Coca-Cola has said it is working on more than 200 ways to reduce the sugar in its beverages. Currently, a 16-ounce bottle of Coke contains 12 teaspoons of added sugar; the American Heart Association recommends only 9 teaspoons of added sugar a day for men and 6 for women.

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TheWire
Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association are being sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) for allegedly misleading consumers about the health risks of sugary drinks.
coca-cola, sued, sugar, health, risks
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2017-49-06
Friday, 06 January 2017 08:49 AM
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