ATLANTA — The year 2020 still may be five years away, but The Coca-Cola Co. remains on track to achieve its four key global well-being commitments that it set out to reach by that date. The Atlanta-based company’s progress against its goals was revealed as part of its 2014/2015 Sustainability Report issued July 28.
In well-being, Coca-Cola’s first goal is to offer low- or no-calorie beverages in every market. The company said it is on track with this goal, introducing more than 400 new beverage options in 2014. More than 100 of the new beverages were reduced-, low-, or no-calorie. Additionally, by the end of 2014 Coca-Cola was offering reduced-, low- or no-calorie options in 191 markets in which it operates. In 77 countries, reduced-, low-, or no-calorie products represented more than 20% of the local product portfolio (up from 73 countries in 2013), Coca-Cola said.
“In addition to the expansion of reduced-, low-, and no-calorie beverages, a critical component of our business and well-being strategy is the expansion of smaller package sizes in markets around the world,” Coca-Cola said. “Whether it is our mini-cans or small glass bottles, we are better able to provide great-tasting refreshment in moderation, allowing consumers to choose their portion size.”
In 2014, Coca-Cola said 81 countries expanded their portfolio of beverages available in small packages, bringing the total number of countries offering beverages in small packages to 186.
A second goal set forth by Coca-Cola is to provide transparent nutrition information, featuring calories on the front of all packages. In 2011, Coca-Cola became the first beverage company to place calorie information on the front of packaging worldwide, and it continues to improve on how it provides transparent nutrition information.
Coca-Cola also remains on track toward its goal of supporting physical activity programs in every country where it does business.
“In 2014, we supported more than 330 active, healthy living programs in 112 markets around the world, and we are working to ensure there are robust active, healthy living programs everywhere we operate,” the company noted in the report. “Additionally, in 2014, together with The Coca-Cola Foundation, we awarded nearly $22 million to support nutrition and physical activity programs in 40 countries across our global system.”
Coca-Cola said it has developed a set of new active, healthy living program criteria that it expects to finalize in 2015.
Finally, Coca-Cola continues toward its goal of responsible marketing, with no advertising directly to children under 12 anywhere in the world.
“Based on our responsible marketing policy, we do not buy advertising placements that target children, defined as audiences with 35% or more of viewers under the age of 12,” the company said. “In 2014, we enhanced our policy to extend across all forms of media. In addition, our policy now indicates that we will not develop marketing designed to directly appeal to children under 12.”