Britvic and GlaxoSmithKline are among the companies under attack from the Children’s Food Campaign in its new report, Soft Drinks, Hard Sell.
But the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) claims the report is "unfair and mistaken" and "based on a partial and incomplete understanding of the facts".
Better than water
The report accuses Britvic of marketing its Fruit Shoot range as being "better than water at keeping children hydrated."
It criticises GlaxoSmithKline for the way Ribena is promoted, despite the company having to add “90% of its vitamin C content artificially because it contains such a small amount of fruit juice”.
Vimto, produced by Nichols, is also condemned for a marketing campaign “emphasising the drink’s raspberry content, despite the fact that raspberry juice makes up just 0.1% of its ingredients”.
Clare Panjwani, who researched and wrote the report, said:“Our survey found some truly misleading marketing blatantly used to drive sales and increase children’s soft drinks consumption, which contributes to tooth decay and the UK’s record rates of childhood obesity.
“We need better regulation to protect children from marketing for soft drinks and other junk food, and better food labelling so that parents and children can tell more easily what’s in the products they are buying.
“Water is by far the healthiest – and most sustainable – drink to quench children’s thirst, but it needs to be available in public places like parks so that it is easily accessible at all times.”
Properly hydrated
In a statement, the BDSA said: “It is important that children drink enough fluid to stay properly hydrated, particularly in hot weather or after exercise.
“Children are more likely to drink enough if they like the taste of the drinks they are offered.
“The label of each drink carries the ingredients list, including the juice content, and nutritional information. The Guideline Daily Amount scheme ensures that the most important nutritional information is visible at a glance on the front of the pack.”
It added: “Advertising and labelling are covered by strict regulation and independent control, to which soft drinks companies are subject.
“Soft drinks, like all food and drink, should be consumed as part of a balanced diet.”
UK soft drink consumption increased by 4.1% in volume and 5.8% in value last year, the fastest growth for seven years, according to the BSDA.
The Children’s Food Campaign said the 14.6bn litres consumed equated to 234 litres for every adult and child in the country.