Sugary sodas like Coke and Pepsi have become American life and culture staples. However, decades of marketing campaigns by big soda corporations have helped fuel an epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. As major drivers of this public health crisis, companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have failed in their corporate social responsibility.
The health impacts of excess soda consumption are clear. Multiple studies have linked the intake of sugary drinks to weight gain, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, gout, tooth decay, and other issues (UCLA Health, 2023). Soda overconsumption is estimated to cause approximately 184,000 global deaths yearly (Harvard et al. School of Public Health, 2019). Aggressive and irresponsible soda marketing has enabled this damage to public well-being.
For decades, big soda companies have specifically targeted children and low-income communities in their advertising. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo spend billions on marketing annually, using celebrities, appealing characters, and claims about happiness to get kids hooked on soda from a young age (WCRF, 2022). These corporations have fought efforts to remove sugary drink ads from schools and public places. Such predatory marketing promotes unhealthy choices and exploits vulnerable populations.
Unlike the United States, other countries have taken steps to inform consumers better about the health impacts of sugary sodas. For example, in Mexico, all sodas must have front-of-package labels if they exceed set thresholds for calories, sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat (The Guardian, 2020). These warning labels make it clear to consumers when a drink contains excessive amounts of ingredients that should be limited for health reasons. However, the US has no such requirements, meaning American consumers often have yet to learn how much sugar and calories are in each serving of soda. The lack of transparency in the US stems directly from soda industry lobbying and resistance. Implementing Mexican-style front-of-package labeling in the US would support public health by making the risks of over-consumption more evident.
At the same time, big soda companies have made substantial efforts to downplay the health consequences of excess soda drinking. Coca-Cola funded the now defunct Global Energy Balance Network, which shifted blame for obesity onto lack of exercise rather than poor diet (New et al., 2015). The soda industry has cultivated close relationships with health groups like the American Academy of Family Physicians to gain credibility while lobbying against public health measures (PLoS Medicine, 2013). These actions demonstrate a lack of ethical responsibility.
Given the substantial scientific evidence linking sugary sodas to chronic disease, Big Soda’s marketing of these drinks to children and misleading health messaging is unacceptable. Corporations like Coke and Pepsi must reform their practices to align with corporate social responsibility. This improvement starts with ending predatory marketing, especially to kids, and acknowledging the health impacts of overconsuming soda. Without such changes, these companies will continue contributing to the growing epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
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