Yesterday, the city council in San Jose, California struck down a proposal that would have banned the sale of soft drinks in all municipal facilities.  As we have written about in the past, we believe that discriminatory bans like this are not only an ineffective way to combat obesity rates, but they are counterproductive. Education, not arbitrary restrictions, will inform consumers’ behavior. We enjoyed reading that others shared our view.

A councilmember opposing the ban called the proposal an attack on choice. The San Jose Mercury News editorialized against the proposal, calling it “wide of the mark” for combating the state’s obesity problem. The editorial also points out that although soft drinks may seem like an easy target, they account for only a fraction of the total calories Californians consume. And more importantly, it explains that there are much better ways to promote healthy living by educating and empowering people.

When choosing a beverage, it’s important to keep in mind that some of our products, like most foods and beverages, contain calories. That’s why we’re taking bold action to educate consumers about the number of calories in all of our products. We voluntarily placed clear calorie labels on the front of our packaging so people know exactly what they’re getting before making their purchase. This will enable consumers to make the choice that’s right for them. Check out DeliveringChoices.org for more information about this and other beverage industry initiatives.