Traders ban Pepsi, Coca-Cola to support local products

Traders in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu have banned the sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in favour of local products. The ban, which was proposed by the state’s top two associations of traders, came into effect on Wednesday. The associations say that soft drinks firms take too much water from rivers, leaving farmers […]

Traders in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu have banned the sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in favour of local products.
The ban, which was proposed by the state’s top two associations of traders, came into effect on Wednesday.
The associations say that soft drinks firms take too much water from rivers, leaving farmers struggling to irrigate their land at a time of severe drought.
The Indian Beverage Association (IBA) said it was disappointed with the ban.
The IBA, which represents most soft drinks manufacturers, said the ban “was against the proven fundamentals of robust economic growth”.
“Coca-Cola and PepsiCo India together provide direct employment to 2,000 families in Tamil Nadu and more than 5,000 families indirectly… IBA hopes that good sense will prevail and that consumers will continue to have the right to exercise their choice in Tamil Nadu,” it said.