Clear on Calories
Making Calories More Clear and Useable for Consumers
Answering First Lady Michelle Obama's call for innovative industry initiatives that contribute to her healthy families program, America's non-alcoholic beverage companies are coming together to make the calories in their products even more clear and consumer-friendly by putting the information on the front of all their packages, vending machines and fountain machines.
The voluntary commitment contributes to First Lady Michelle Obama's efforts to help families make informed choices as part of a balanced lifestyle. This new initiative will display calories more prominently on product labels, vending and fountain machines in the following ways:
- Product Labels: We will display total calorie counts on the front of all containers up to and including 20 ounces; multi-serve packaging will be labeled using a 12 ounce serving (as well as number of servings per package) for all beverages. 100% juices will continue to use an 8 ounce serving size.
- Company controlled Vending Machine Labels: Total calorie counts displayed on selection buttons.
- Company controlled Fountain Equipment Labels: Calorie counts displayed prominently.
The beverage industry - whose leading companies include The Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, PepsiCo, Nestle Waters North America and Sunny Delight - is also committing to continue reducing the beverage calories in the marketplace through innovation, smaller portion sizes and further marketing of their low-calorie beverages.
The calorie initiative is building upon its ongoing efforts to help families and individuals make balanced choices. In 2006, the industry came together with national School Beverage Guidelines to remove full-calorie soft drinks from schools across the country, replacing them with lower-calorie, smaller-portion beverage choices. And through its product innovation, industry has already significantly reduced the amount of calories in the marketplace with its broad array of beverage choices.
The industry will start implementing the initiative this year with completion in 2012.