Coca-Cola truck Christmas visits
500 word summary of 'When the Coca-Cola truck comes to your town' written by Robin Ireland and Beth Bradshaw (both from Food Active, a weight management program in the north of England)
When Coca-Cola announced their ‘Holidays are Coming’ truck tour in 2016, the local media covered the story extensively with advertorials, pictures and information. Although the tour has become a Christmas tradition, not everyone is happy due to the fact that some truck stops occurred on council owned land and the potential marketing impact on children especially since Coca-Cola has stipulated that they do not promote their products to under 12s.
Food Active, a weight management company headed by Ireland, wrote a letter of objection to the 2016 tour and sent it to local, regional and national newspapers. Although the letter was supported by 108 signatories, including professors, doctors, parents and Public Health Directors, it was ignored by the media perhaps because of commercial investment in Coca-Cola.
A year later, an editorial on the biased media approach to the Coca-Cola truck visits was published in the BMJ Open. Unlike the year before, the media attention on the article was massive and continued long after Christmas. Even before Coca-Cola announced the dates of the tour, a news story was published in the north west of England that raised concerns of the potential impact of the Coca-Cola tour on rising obesity levels. Following its release, none of the truck visits took place on council owned land, which Ireland and Bradshaw say is a step in the right direction.
In addition, Food Active and Sugar Smart joined forces to encourage local authorities, Directors of Public Health and other commissioning groups to sign a letter to oppose the 2017 Coca-Cola visits. The letter highlighted the potential harm caused by consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, and the need for a more responsible marketing plan over the Christmas period.
The combined advocacy activities by Food Active and Sugar Smart may have helped to prompt Public Health England and Wales to act against the high profile marketing stunt of Coca-Cola. However for changes to be made, consistent and persistent action is needed. Soft drinks need to be targeted directly in order to improve rates of obesity in the UK, especially in the poorest and most deprived communities. Therefore events such as the Coca-Cola truck should not be welcomed, especially during the season of good will and cheer.
Sugary drinks are not the only cause of ill health and obesity. Junk food is also a factor and as such control of marketing of such products, especially to children, should be prioritised. However, as products high in fat, sugar and salt already cannot be advertised on children’s TV or on internet sites, then why can Coca-Cola so easily exploit the festive period and market to children?
Ireland and Bradshaw argue that junk food marketing controls need to be extended to family attractions, as well as to sports sponsorship and marketing in schools to help reduce ill health in children. Especially as local authorities are spending more and more on trying to promote healthy eating only for their actions to be thwarted by Coca-Cola.