Some major corporations, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Keurig Dr. Pepper, are urging lawmakers to keep allowing food stamp recipients to buy sugary drinks. The push comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to run the Health and Human Services Department, pledged to remove soda and processed foods from the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.
The Wall Street Journal reported lobbyists from the American Beverage Association, which represents the beverage industry in the United States, are making a case on Capitol Hill. They pointed out that soda brands are selling more zero-sugar drinks.
Coke said it had an 11% jump in the sale of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar during this year’s third quarter.
Lobbyists claim the increase in sales, combined with clear calorie labels on beverages, allows people to make healthier choices.
Point phone camera here
Anti-hunger advocacy group Share Our Strength also argues that instead of restricting SNAP recipients options, Congress should fund programs that help low-income families access healthier foods.
Lawmakers have tried to restrict soda, desserts and candy from food assistance programs for years. Most recently, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders sent a letter to the incoming health and agricultural departments.
In the letter, she called for a ban on buying junk food with food stamps. She claimed these foods contribute to higher rates of obesity and diabetes.
Coke told The Journal it’s always active in engaging on policies important to its business. Representatives from Pepsi and Dr. Pepper declined to comment.
[Karah]
SOME MAJOR CORPORATIONS INCLUDING COCA-COLA, PEPSI-CO AND DR PEPPER ARE URGING LAWMAKERS TO KEEP ALLOWING FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS TO BUY SUGARY DRINKS.
THE PUSH COMES AS ROBERT F KENNEDY JUNIOR – PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S NOMINEE TO RUN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT – PLEDGES TO REMOVE SODA AND PROCESSED FOODS FROM THE SUPPLEMENT NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM … ALSO KNOWN AS SNAP.
About 70% of food stamps go to processed food.. 10% of food stamps go to sugar drinks. We are creating diabetes problems in our kids by giving them food that’s poison and I’m going to stop that.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTED LOBBYISTS FROM THE AMERICAN BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION – WHICH REPRESENTS THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES – ARE MAKING A CASE ON CAPITOL HILL … POINTING OUT THAT SODA BRANDS ARE SELLING MORE ZERO-SUGAR DRINKS.
COKE SAYS IT HAD A 11 PERCENT JUMP IN THE SALE OF “COKE ZERO SUGAR” DURING THIS YEAR’S THIRD QUARTER.
LOBBYISTS CLAIM THE INCREASE IN SALES … COMBINED WITH CLEAR CALORIES LABELS ON BEVERAGES ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES.
ANTI-HUNGER ADVOCACY GROUP “SHARE OUR STRENGTH” ALSO ARGUES THAT INSTEAD OF RESTRICTING SNAP RECIPIENTS OPTIONS .. CONGRESS SHOULD FUND PROGRAMS THAT HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES ACCESS HEALTHIER FOODS.
LAWMAKERS HAVE TRIED TO RESTRICT SODA, DESSERTS AND CANDY FROM FOOD-ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR YEARS.
MOST RECENTLY, ARKANSAS GOVERNOR SARA HUCKABEE SANDERS SENT A LETTER TO THE INCOMING HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS CALLING FOR A BAN ON BUYING JUNK FOOD WITH FOOD STAMPS SAYING THESE FOODS CONTRIBUTE TO HIGHER RATES OF OBESITY AND DIABETES.
COKE TELLS THE JOURNAL ITS ALWAYS ACTIVE IN ENGAGING ON POLICIES IMPORTANT TO THEIR BUSINESS WHILE PEPSI AND DR PEPPER DECLINED TO COMMENT.
FOR SAN – I’M KARAH RUCKER.
FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
