Pepsi Canada re-jigs labels for the caffeine concerned
Pepsi-QTG, which produces and distributes the brands throughout Canada, says it will extending the labeling declaration already used for its energy drink products to brands like Lipton Ice Tea and its flagship cola.
Pack design
Under the new pack designs, which will be rolled out from the end of this year into 2009, the company will display the caffeine content of each individual brand just under the existing nutrition facts table.
Particularly with the emergence of high-caffeinated energy drinks in recent years, the use of the stimulant in beverages and potential health concerns over its excessive consumption have seen global calls from some groups for stricter regulation.
Keeping track
Dale Hooper, vice president of marketing for Pepsi-QTG, said that the new labeling would be used to ensure customers could better keep track of caffeine consumption in all its brands, from chocolate cakes to soft drinks.
"Many consumers want to track their caffeine consumption over the course of the day for a variety of reasons,” he stated. “Now it's that much easier for them to be aware of their intake from the beverages they consume and to make informed choices accordingly.”
Speaking on behalf of the beverage group, Helene Charlebois, a registered dietician at the Ottawa Cardiovascular Centre, said the move reflected a positive step in providing consumer awareness and urged other drink groups to follow suite.
US labels
Despite claims that the move is a first within the Canadian market, the American Beverage Association (ABA) says that some US-based drinks groups are currently committed to similar schemes.
A spokesperson for the trade group told NutraIngredients-USA.com that non-alcoholic beverage groups were already leading the way in providing health information.
“Many of our companies voluntarily post the caffeine amounts on their packaging and it’s also available by calling their 1-800 numbers or checking out their web sites,” stated the spokesperson.
Concern about the presence of stimulants like caffeine in a wider variety of beverages has resulted in some calls for tighter restriction and regulation on their use.
However, the ABA spokesperson believes that such moves are not necessary for the stimulant.
“Caffeine has been one of the most tested ingredients in the food stream and it’s been deemed safe by the [US] Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and more than 140 regulatory agencies around the world,” said the spokesperson. “It has been enjoyed in foods and beverages by literally billions of people over the past 5,000 years.”
