UK: Coca-Cola in bottled water controversy

The Coca-Cola Company is being investigated by trading standards officials in Britain for selling purified tap water as bottled “pure, still water” under the brand name Dasani. The source for Dasani, which was launched in the UK in Feb 2004, is tap water supplied to Coca-Cola's factory in southeast London. Coca Cola says it removes “bacteria, viruses, salts, minerals, sugars, proteins and toxin particles" through a “highly sophisticated purification process" and then adds calcium, magnesium and sodium bicarbonate for taste. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says it appeared Dasani broke guidelines designed to protect shoppers from misleading marketing through its use of the word “pure”. The UK distinguishes three types of bottled water: natural mineral water, spring water and drinking water (which can be tap water).

Meanwhile in India, a division bench of the Kerala state high court upheld a government order imposing a four-month ban on the Coca Cola bottling plant at Plachimada, from extracting groundwater till 15 Jun 2004. The court argued that the people's rights to drinking water during the current drought warranted a temporary shutdown of the factory. The next sitting of the court case is planned for 22 Mar 2004.

See also: Privatisation: water activists launch global offensive against Coca Cola and Suez Degremont, Source, 26 Jan 2004, http://www.irc.nl/page/7873

Source: CNN, 4 Mar 2004
Rediff.com, 8 Mar 2004

Keywords

• Policies & legislation
• Water supply - Water collection