Coca-Cola Contract Has No Nutritional Standards

Will Promote Student Consumption of High Sugar Soft Drinks, says Vitale

News Release 7/12/16

TRENTON – Senate Health Committee Chairman Joseph F. Vitale today criticized Rutgers University for its planned contract with Coca-Cola that will allow the company to promote the consumption of the high-sugar beverages by students at the state university. Rutgers is planning to commit to a ten-year deal with the company to make Coke the exclusive supplier of beverages on the school’s campuses, including the ready availability of the company’s products in dining halls and vending machines.

“The health consequences of high-sugar soft drinks are clear and unambiguous,” said Senator Vitale. “We are in the midst of an epidemic of diet-related illnesses, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease and excessive weight, and one of the primary causes is the consumption of sugar. We shouldn’t be promoting this habit with our college students and the state university should be supporting healthier choices as alternatives.”

Senator Vitale referred to Rutgers’ enhanced role as a leading bio-medical and research university as “inconsistent” with the Coke contract. Senator Vitale, a co-sponsor of the legislation that promoted Rutgers consolidation of medical and scientific research, said the university should work to establish nutritional standards for all the food and drink contracts and student offerings.

The proposed contract, that Senator Vitale is urging Rutgers to reconsider, would generate $1 million a year for 10 years. The university’s total annual budget is more than $3 billion.

“Rutgers should know better than to subject its students to unhealthy choices that can lead to life-long habits,” said Senator Vitale. “I will work to establish health and nutrition standards for colleges and universities that receive taxpayer funding. These standards could help address the consumption of sugar, sodium and fat and their health consequences. The standards wouldn’t necessarily restrict access to unhealthy choices, but rather make the healthier options more accessible. We have the benefit of scientific research and knowledge that we should use to better support young people living with optimum health.”

According to the American Heart Association, sugary drinks are the single largest source of calories in the American diet, with the average sugar consumption from the drinks alone the equivalent of 39 pounds a year. Beverage companies, such as the Coca-Cola Company spend billions of dollars marketing their drinks.

“I encourage Rutgers to be part of the solution and not contribute to the myriad of health problems caused by poor nutrition,” said Senator Vitale. “The impact is felt by society as a whole and by the individuals who pay the price. I hope to see Rutgers take this on as a long-term responsibility with the first step of amending the contract with Coke.”