The Swiss Federal Office of Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (USAV) is calling on soft drink manufacturers to reduce the amount of added sugar in soft drinks marketed in Switzerland by 10 percent. (1)
Sugar in soft drinks, -10% by 2024
Swiss consumers consume an average of 110 grams of sugar per capita per day. That is, more than twice the amount of sugar recommended by WHO (50 g/day in a 2,000 kcal diet).
The National Nutrition Report‘menuCH‘ lists soft drinks as the source of about 40 percent of added sugars consumed in Switzerland. (2) Intervention on this productive sector is therefore indispensable.
The federal government’s goal is to reduce average added sugar intakes by at least 10 percent by 2024. But some operators are unwilling to cooperate on a voluntary basis.
Coca-Cola opposes, Migros says yes
The Migros chain has already accepted. In keeping with its adherence to the 2015 Milan Declaration, Migros is going to change the recipe of its iced tea. Without even adding sweeteners, not at all beneficial as it turns out. In fact, the company will make up for the sugar reduction by adding karkadé, rosehips or other ingredients.
In contrast, no commitment is made by Coca-Cola Switzerland. The Swiss branch of the multinational company states that the taste of the drink (6 sugar cubes per glass) is standardized and decided in Atlanta. (3) Therefore, no changes can be made on the recipe of only the bottles marketed in Switzerland. (4)
Childhood obesity and overweight alarm
Excessive sugar consumption exposes the population to even serious health risks, the recent EFSA opinion reiterates.
Childhood obesity and overweight are the leading cause of alarm in Switzerland as well, as in Italy, impacting 23 percent of children aged 5 to 9 years. Without effective and cogent measures, the young and very young are at risk of developing serious and chronic diseases (NCDs, Non-Communicable Diseases) associated with these conditions.
Notes
(1) G. Doninelli. Bern calls for less sugar in soft drinks. tio.ch 28.3.22 V. https://www. tio.ch/svizzera/attualita/1573930/zucchero-berna
(2) Office fédéral de la sécurité alimentaire et des affaires vétérinaires (OSAV). L’enquête nationale sur l’alimentation menuCH. https://bit.ly/2BbfyNg
(3) Dario Dongo. Coca-Cola, obesity and the right to water. Scientific study. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 19.7.20,
(4) CSR News. Too much sugar in soft drinks, health at risk. 7.6.22. https://bit.ly/3mVmqmT
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
