Letters to the Editor

PepsiCo marketing policy

Madam

Christine Haigh⁽¹⁾ rightly stresses the need to protect children from irresponsible marketing practices, but she misrepresents the evidence base on tackling obesity and PepsiCo’s commitments on health.

PepsiCo, along with a number of other global food companies, has made a series of clear public commitments to the WHO⁽²⁾. Progress against these, including restrictions on marketing to children, will be validated by independent third parties and published.

In the UK, PepsiCo has not advertised regular full-sugar Pepsi through any marketing channel, to any audience (adult or child), since 2004. All of our marketing spend has been invested into supporting zero-calorie alternatives like Pepsi Max. The ‘finger puppets’ referred to by Christine Haigh were removed from the Pepsi Max website within a day of Sustain’s query – not because they breach any of our commitments, but because we are responsive to stakeholder concerns.

Christine Haigh’s underlying point, that voluntary action is meaningless and only national and international legislation can drive responsible food marketing, presents a false choice not grounded in the evidence. The most definitive study on obesity – the UK Foresight Report – states categorically that action from government will need to be matched with action from business if the pressing threats from chronic disease are to be addressed successfully⁽³⁾. We need both legislation and credible voluntary action in areas where governments are unable to act. After all, a world without voluntary corporate action, often in partnership with non-governmental organisations, would be a world without Fairtrade, the Rainforest Alliance, GAIN, the Forestry and Marine Stewardship Council, and a host of other initiatives making a real impact.

We will continue to deliver against our public commitments, and engage with all those who seek real solutions on responsible marketing and chronic disease prevention.