Chennai: Several reports have revealed the presence of chemicals in soft drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, but their sales have not come down and craze for them among the people, especially children and youth, still remains intact.
A recent study of samples of these soft drinks by the National Test House has revealed that they contain lead and heavy metals. Canteens at colleges and schools still sell the soft drinks despite knowing they are harmful to children. Consumption of aerated drinks has not seen a decline, courtesy the smart marketing skills that are driving people towards it.
The parents, who are not accustomed to denying their child’s wishes, nurture the practice, even though the school administration says a strict no-no for the drinks in canteens. The principal of Maharshi Vidyamandir, Namasivayam, said that aerated drinks are shelved from the canteens.
“We had replaced the menu with protein rich foods like sundal and fruit juices, following the CBSE circular which refrained us from selling soft drinks and fried items,” said the principal adding that they also announced the same in the school assembly.
Labelling it as a difficult task on the part of parents, the principal requested parents to discourage such unhealthy wishes. Parents, on the other hand, put the blame on societal pressure and peer influence. It might not be an impossible task to pull children off unhealthy habits, said Sudha Rani, who does not consume aerated drinks. “Having learnt the adverse effects from me, my teenage children don’t drink them. They rather prefer fruit juices,” she added.
“Youth don’t think of the health consequences, for all they care is to imitate their peer group. They find it inferior if they not pickup the habit of consuming soft drinks,” she said.
The hype for aerated drinks could be attributed equally to the mall-movie culture and the extraordinary marketing skills. A parent, Vishaka Sharma said, “It has become a tradition to buy popcorn and coke during the movie intermission. The absence of health drinks is one reason why I cannot suggest alternatives to my kids.”
K. Somana, a bank employee added, “School students cannot afford fresh juices. While a 100 ml of soft drink has been just Rs 13, prices of fruit juices (except for lemon) are anywhere between 25 and 45. Also, the availability of low-priced buttermilk and lemon juice is low.”
“Advertisements also have a big hand towards grabbing the attention of kids. Tempting pictures of soft drinks are portrayed in such a way that people think that non-consumption of them is a great miss,” said R. Suren, a marketing executive.
