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Coco-Cola Banned at UK University as Awareness of Pesticide Content Spreads
The U.K. Students Against Coca-Cola group called for a nationwide student
boycott of Coca-Cola in Britain Saturday, according to the Independent. The
University of Sussex is the first to adopt the ban.
Other British campuses are expected to implement the ban soon. Students
Against Coca-Cola has been pressuring the purchasing consortium that supplies
Coca-Cola products to campuses to terminate its multimillion-dollar contracts with
the company.
The University of Sussex banned all Coca-Cola products from its student union,
citing objection to the soft drink giant's business practices, such as ignoring
anti-union abuses of workers in its factories in Colombia and other South
American countries. The protestors also expressed concerns over the health
hazards presented by the high levels of pesticides in the sodas, which prompted
several Indian states to ban Coca-Cola and its number one competitor, PepsiCo.
The bans in India were implemented when a Center for Science and Environment
study found that the companies' sodas contained 24-times the accepted levels of
pesticides. The student protesters also claim that the Coca-Cola's bottling plants
have adversely affected local water tables and farmers' livelihoods.
The two major Indian business groups -- the Confederation of Indian Industry and
the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) -- disagree,
and both entities have warned that a ban on Coca-Cola and PepsiCo products
could end up hurting India's broader economy.
Coca-Cola has not yet responded to the boycott or the ban at the University of
Sussex.
"The number of institutions banning Coca-Cola continues to increase," said Mike
Adams, a consumer health advocate and author of a book on quitting soft drink
addictions. "Awareness about the unscrupulous practices of the Coca-Cola
company appears to be approaching a critical mass, and pro-business groups
around the world are currently scrambling to contain the damage and spin the story
in a way that maximizes Coca-Cola profits," he said.
Source: NewsTarget.com 8/21/06
boycott of Coca-Cola in Britain Saturday, according to the Independent. The
University of Sussex is the first to adopt the ban.
Other British campuses are expected to implement the ban soon. Students
Against Coca-Cola has been pressuring the purchasing consortium that supplies
Coca-Cola products to campuses to terminate its multimillion-dollar contracts with
the company.
The University of Sussex banned all Coca-Cola products from its student union,
citing objection to the soft drink giant's business practices, such as ignoring
anti-union abuses of workers in its factories in Colombia and other South
American countries. The protestors also expressed concerns over the health
hazards presented by the high levels of pesticides in the sodas, which prompted
several Indian states to ban Coca-Cola and its number one competitor, PepsiCo.
The bans in India were implemented when a Center for Science and Environment
study found that the companies' sodas contained 24-times the accepted levels of
pesticides. The student protesters also claim that the Coca-Cola's bottling plants
have adversely affected local water tables and farmers' livelihoods.
The two major Indian business groups -- the Confederation of Indian Industry and
the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) -- disagree,
and both entities have warned that a ban on Coca-Cola and PepsiCo products
could end up hurting India's broader economy.
Coca-Cola has not yet responded to the boycott or the ban at the University of
Sussex.
"The number of institutions banning Coca-Cola continues to increase," said Mike
Adams, a consumer health advocate and author of a book on quitting soft drink
addictions. "Awareness about the unscrupulous practices of the Coca-Cola
company appears to be approaching a critical mass, and pro-business groups
around the world are currently scrambling to contain the damage and spin the story
in a way that maximizes Coca-Cola profits," he said.
Source: NewsTarget.com 8/21/06