As part of an initiative called ComingTogether, the Coca Cola company pledged to fight obesity on Wednesday, as the company promised to slap calorie counts on all its packaging, news reports said. They have also promised to cease advertisements directed at kids. Its company has taken increased concerns over its sugar-stuffed beverages, the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday.
"Obesity is today's most challenging health issue, affecting nearly every family and community across the globe," Executive Muhtar Kent said in a statement.
In October, along with rivals such as PepsiCo, the company said it would also list nutritional information on U.S. vending machines, news reports said.
Coca-Cola trotted out a parade of statistics about its various low- and zero-calorie products.
On Wednesday, the company said that 19 of its 20 top brands fit the bill or feature alternatives that do. Executives also mentioned the mini-cans with smaller portions that debuted in 2001.
But the part of Coca-Cola's pledge likely to get the most attention is the promise not to market to audiences where children under age 12 make up more than 35%.
The company has often said in the U.S. that it does not buy advertising directly targeting such demographics, but now appears to have expanded the policy globally. Commercials on television, radio, print, mobile phones and the Internet are all affected.
It's unclear what will become of the cuddly polar bear Coca-Cola likes to employ in its advertising, a ploy that attracted young kids to the product.
