ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 14, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- The American School Food Service Association (ASFSA) supports and commends Coca-Cola's announcement today that it will change its marketing approach to schools and students. ASFSA believes Coca Cola's action is a good first step toward solving the problem of competitive foods in schools, and hopes bottlers will follow the parent company's lead and that other companies will match its efforts.
Coca Cola announced today that it supports adoption of non-exclusive contracts with schools, that it will seek to provide a wider and more nutritious variety of beverages to schools it contracts with, that it will "unconditionally honor the wishes" of schools that want to limit the times or locations for the sale of beverages, and that it will place non-commercial signage on its vending machines in schools.
"We don't believe that soft drinks are bad for you," said Marilyn Hurt, president of 58,000-member ASFSA. "Our concern is when children replace more nutritious foods with foods that have lots of calories and little or no nutritional value. We think that Coke's announcement indicates that they agree with our view and want to help solve the problem of obesity in kids. We are pleased with Coke's announcement today."
Pouring rights contracts between schools and soft drink companies are a concern because some schools are signing exclusive contracts that give them financial incentives to make sure that students buy large amounts of soft drinks. Further, some of the contracts even require the schools to disregard federal regulations mandating that vending machines be turned off during mealtime.
"Our proposal to Congress is that the Secretary of Agriculture should have regulatory authority over all foods and beverages sold in schools during the school day," Hurt explained. "We are not seeking an outright ban on the sale of soft drinks or other competitive foods in schools. But we believe proper nutrition for students should be a priority, and we want a level playing field for nutritionally balanced school lunches and breakfasts."
Congress addressed the issue of the commercial sale of food and beverages in schools three different times in the 1970s, but a federal appeals court ruled in 1983 that USDA authority over competitive foods sold in schools applied only during meal periods. That resulted in the USDA issuing regulations requiring vending machines to be turned off during mealtimes. Now, in some schools, even that limitation is being ignored.
During a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee on March 6, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), ranking Democrat on the committee, said he thought Congress had clarified that competitive foods were not be available during school meal times. "If that's not the law, it should be," Harkin said. Later in that hearing, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) said he hoped the Committee would focus on clarifying USDA rules so that soft drink machines would be turned off during school lunch periods.
"We are heartened by the support we are receiving in Congress," Hurt said, "but voluntary actions by soft drink companies also can help bring a resolution to this problem. We will continue to seek a legislative remedy for our concerns about competitive foods, but Coca Cola's action suggests that schools and soft drink companies can form mutually beneficial partnerships without setting aside the nutritional well-being of school children."
In its announcement today, Coca Cola stated that it will "continue to return revenue from beverage sales to support educational programs" without requiring exclusivity from the schools it contracts with. The company said the products it provides to schools will include juices, water, and vitamin- and calcium-rich products. In addition, Coca Cola said it will help promote "a learning environment that does not become commercialized" by putting non-commercial graphics featuring student and/or fitness-oriented activities on its vending machines in schools.
In addition to nutritional concerns, ASFSA believes students should not be bombarded with commercial messages in schools.
ASFSA is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 58,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. Founded in 1946, ASFSA is the only association devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children's health and well-being through school meals and sound nutrition education.
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CONTACT: The American School Food Service Association
Joseph Haas
(703) 739-3900, ext. 122
Jhaas@asfsa.org