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New Study Shows Sales in Schools of Full-Calorie Carbonated Soft Drinks Declined by 24 Percent Since 2002: Students are taking advantage of a wider variety of product choices
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Kathleen Dezio
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Tracey Halliday
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HIGH SCHOOLERS PURCHASE ABOUT ONE FULL-CALORIE CARBONATED SOFT DRINK PER WEEK DURING SCHOOL HOURS
RELATED STUDY FINDS LITTLE OR NO IMPACT OF ELIMINATING SCHOOL VENDING PURCHASES ON ADOLESCENT OVERWEIGHT
Download a copy of the study in PDF format.
WASHINGTON, D.C.- A new study of school beverage sales based on a comprehensive analysis of industry data showed a sharp decline in school purchases of full-calorie carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) from 2002 to 2004. The study also showed that average purchases of full-calorie CSDs at school by American students during school hours were extremely low in 2004.
The study, conducted by Dr. Robert Wescott, an independent economist, concluded that purchases of full-calorie CSDs during normal school hours averaged about one 12 ounce can per week for high school students. These estimates were conservatively calculated and likely overstate student purchase levels.
Susan Neely, ABA president and chief executive officer, said, “This study confirms what previous studies have shown—that consumption of full-calorie CSDs purchased from school vending machines during normal school hours is a very minor source of calories in the diets of American youth and is not contributing measurably to obesity rates in the school-age population.”
Dr. Wescott’s study, conducted for the ABA, also found that full-calorie CSD sales in schools declined sharply from 2002 to 2004, while sales of other types of beverages increased. During these two years, student purchases of full-calorie CSDs in schools dropped by 24 percent, while purchases of waters increased by 23 percent, diet soft drinks by 21 percent, 100 percent juices by 15 percent and sports drinks by 70 percent.
Commenting on these trends, Ms. Neely emphasized that “our industry offers a variety of beverage choices in school vending machines and the changing product mix seen in this study shows that students are taking advantage of these choices and selecting the products that fit their lifestyles.”
Dr. Wescott’s estimates of student beverage purchases were computed using actual industry school shipments data and U.S. Census estimates of the national student population. The shipments data was obtained from 13 of the largest bottlers in the country including Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., Coke Consolidated, Pepsi Americas, Pepsi Bottling Group, and Dr. Pepper/Seven Up Bottling Group, and is estimated to represent 90 percent of all U.S. beverage shipments to schools. To corroborate the national purchase estimates, detailed data from 15 benchmark school systems located in 10 states were also collected.
In a related study published in the journal Risk Analysis last month, Dr. Richard Forshee and his colleagues at the University of Maryland found that eliminating full-calorie CSD sales in schools would have little or no impact on adolescent overweight. Dr. Forshee’s study examined the impact of soft drink consumption from vending machines in schools on body mass index (BMI) by applying risk analysis methodology and using data on soft drink consumption in schools from federal government surveys of the U.S. population. The risk analysis study was supported by an unrestricted gift from ABA.
The ABA recently announced a new school vending policy that defines beverage choices for elementary, middle and high schools based on parent’s feedback. The policy reinforces the industry’s commitment to providing a broad range of beverage choices to the school-age population. For more information on ABA’s school vending policy, please visit our website.
Dr. Wescott served as Chief Economist at the President’s Council of Economic Advisors and as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. He was also Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at WEFA Group (Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates), a Philadelphia-based economic forecasting and consulting firm.
The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.
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The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.
