Zero sugar Coke, late in the day
It is worthy of note that carbonated drinks in Nigeria had come under the radar of the National Assembly. This itself was sequel to a Lagos High Court ruling in March last year ordering the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to direct the NBC to put out a warning label […]
It is worthy of note that carbonated drinks in Nigeria had come under the radar of the National Assembly. This itself was sequel to a Lagos High Court ruling in March last year ordering the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to direct the NBC to put out a warning label on particularly Fanta and Sprite intimating that both products are dangerous when consumed with Vitamin C. Recall that a businessman had sued NBC following confiscation of a consignment of Sprite and Fanta he had shipped to the United Kingdom (UK). The UK authorities based their action on the fact that both products after tests contained high levels of benzoic acid and sunflower additives that were not permissible in their nation. The NBC had reportedly argued that its Nigeria-made products, were not meant for export. However, the judge ruled that the products ought to be fit for human consumption anywhere in the world irrespective of “race, colour or creed”.
It was against this background and the apparent panic which the court ruling engendered among consumers that the House of Representatives instituted an adhoc committee to investigate the safety of carbonated soft drinks in Nigeria. And after one year, the House in March of this year adopted that from January 1, 2019, NAFDAC should compel producers and manufacturers of soft drinks to indicate all chemicals, acids, colorants and preservatives contained in their products on the packs or bottles no matter how negligible they are; and that effective from January, 1, 2019, a warning label should be printed on Fanta and Sprite stating that they are harmful when taken with ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Even before now, Nigerians had had mixed feelings about them. This had made Nigerians to fret about the health implications of soft drinks with many now patronising local products as kunu and Zobo.
Some years ago NBC introduced ‘Diet Coke’ into the Nigerian market. But it did not make much impact as many consumers complained that it did not have “the Coca-Cola” taste. Now NBC is bringing to Nigeria, this new “zero sugar” Coke. Both the new black cork coke and the red cork one we had been used to are still classified as “carbonated soft drink”. The tastes are slightly different although the more important thing is their chemical compositions. In this wise the new Coca-Cola contains all that the existing red cork Coke has except sugar.
The Coca-Cola company based in the United States reported that its net revenue dropped by 20 per cent to $7.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2017 and by 15 per cent to $35.4 billion for the whole of 2017. Fact of the matter is that citizens worldwide are moving away from sweet, sugary drinks to reduce or manage cases of high blood pressure, diabetes and the like. Reading the handwriting on the wall, Coca-Cola is diversifying to other products as juice, water, dairy, etc. The future belongs to healthy foods and drinks.
Victoria Ngozi Ikeano, Lafia