Changes

==History==

In August 2005, the ABA announced a new school-based policy to provide lower calorie and/or nutritious beverages to schools and to limit the availability of soft drinks at the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures <ref>American Beverage Association, press release [http://www.ameribev.com/news-detail/index.aspx?nid=53 "Beverage Industry Announces New School Vending Policy,"] August 16, 2005.</ref> "The first salvo in a broader public-relations counterattack by beverage companies to help the industry reverse its tarnished image", the ''Wall Street Journal'' reports, is voluntary restrictions on drink sales in schools. The guidelines, touted "in full-page ads in several national newspapers," suggest that new school contracts remove carbonated soft drinks from elementary schools and remove sugary drinks from middle schools during school hours. All beverages will continue to be sold in high schools.<ref name="McKay">Betsy McKay, [http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112423461722614960,00.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace "Soda Marketers Will Cut Back Sales to Schools"], ''Wall Street Journal'', August 17, 2005.</ref>

"Soda industry touts school ban to quiet obesity critics," reads the ''PR Week'' headline on a story outlining the soft-drink industry's latest defensive move in response to national concerns about childhood obesity. Even leading food-industry publication "Vending Market Watch" noted that, "This new policy is clearly designed to counteract criticism from consumer activists and politicians who say the beverage industry is profiting at children's expense" <ref>Elliot Maras, Beverage Industry Group Supporters Limiting Carbonated Soda in Schools, "Vending Market Watch," August 17, 2005.</ref> PR giant [[Porter Novelli]] is working with the American Beverage Association to promote the trade group's school vending policy. The voluntary code recommends some limits on the sale of sugary carbonated beverages in schools, but still allows for sales of juices and sports drinks.<ref name="Porter Novelli">John N. Frank, [http://www.prweekus.com/Soda-industry-touts-school-ban-to-quiet-obesity-critics/article/53069/ "Soda industry touts school ban to quiet obesity critics"], ''PR Week'', August 26, 2005.</ref>

The ABA policy, however, has no government enforcement or oversight mechanism, and only applies to vending machines, imposing no restrictions on other venues where drinks are sold in schools, such as school canteens and sporting events. The policy applies only to new school contracts, too; it can be amended to old agreements only with the consent of both parties. Beverages are also sold to schools through local distributors, which operate under the jurisdiction of their parent companies, and as such, have the ultimate say regarding which products are made available to schools and under what terms <ref>Michele Simon "Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Underminds Our Health and How to Fight Back," Nation Books: 2006, pg 14-15.</ref> This point is conceded by the ABA itself: "the success of the policy is dependent on voluntary implementation of it by individual beverage companies and by school officials"<ref>American Beverage Association, press release [http://www.ameribev.com/news-detail/index.aspx?nid=53 "Beverage Industry Announces New School Vending Policy,"] August 16, 2005.</ref>

Taking a different tack, in May 2006, the American Beverage Association joined with soda companies, the [[Clinton Foundation]] and the [[American Heart Association]] to announce a new voluntary school policy to limit the portion size and number of calories available to students <ref>Clinton Foundation [http://www.clintonfoundation.org/news/news-media/050306-nr-cf-hs-hk-usa-pr-healthy-school-beverage-guidelines-set-for-united-states-schools "Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Industry Leaders Set Healthy School Beverage Guidelines for U.S. Schools"] May 3, 2006.</ref>

==Contact details==

Washington, DC 20036<br>

Main Telephone Number: (202) 463- 6732<br>

Press Questions: (202) 463-6770<br>

Email: info AT ameribev.org<br>

==Articles and resources==

===Related SourceWatch articles===

*[[International Bottled Water Association]]

*[[Obesity PR]]

===References===

<references/>

===External articles===

*John N. Frank, "[http://www.prweek.com/news/news_story.cfm?ID=240429&site=3&setcookie=1 Soda industry touts school ban to quiet obesity critics]", PR Week, August 26, 2005. (Sub req'd).

*Michele Simon, "[http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/24647/ Big Soda's Puyblicity Stunt:] The trade group responsible for pushing sugary drinks to children of all ages has just trumpeted another set of useless new guidelines", ''AlterNet'', August 29, 2005.