Canadian Beverage Association Balance Calories Initiative Success
Conference Board of Canada update on Balance Calories Initiative shows an unprecedented 10.2% reduction in calories
TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - The Canadian Beverage Association (CBA), which represents Canada's non-alcoholic beverage industry, is proud to provide Canadians with an update on the successful progress of the Balance Calories Initiative (BCI).
The Canadian Beverage Association Balance Calories Initiative: 2017 Tracking Report, prepared by The Conference Board of Canada, shows that in the first two years of BCI alone, calories have been reduced by an unprecedented 10.2 per cent. That means that since 2004 there has been an almost 30% reduction in calories consumed from non-alcoholic beverages by Canadians according to GlobalData market data.
The Conference Board Report also noted in their report that data collected from the Government of Canada's own Canadian Community Health Survey 2016, corroborates this reduction of almost 30% in calories consumed per capita/per day since 2004.
Despite calories from beverages declining by 30% since 2004, obesity continues to be a rising concern in Canada.
This significant decrease has been driven by innovative measures; reformulation, smaller portion sizes and more low/no-calories options for Canadian consumers. In 2017 alone CBA member companies launched more than two dozen new low/no-calorie products into the Canadian market place.
"It is clear that Balance Calories is working," said Jim Goetz, President, Canadian Beverage Association. "Our members have successfully removed millions of calories from sugar out of Canadians' diets, we are supporting better health outcomes for Canadians but promoting calorie balance and reducing the amount of sugar Canadians consume."
Background:
Balance Calories Initiative (BCI) – a voluntary initiative by members of the Canadian Beverage Association was launched in 2015 with the goal of reducing calories consumed from non-alcoholic beverages per capita/per day by 20% by 2025.
The Canadian beverage industry has a successful track record of leading voluntary initiatives. They include restricting marketing to children, eliminating full-calorie soft drinks from schools, and implementing front-of-pack calorie labeling, an initiative known as Clear on Calories.
The Conference Board of Canada, an evidence-based, action-oriented research organization with a non-partisan, balanced perspective, is partnered with Canadian Beverage Association and its members to benchmark and verify progress of this program.
Visit www.balancecalories.ca for more information.
About the Canadian Beverage Association
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Canadian Beverage Association is the national industry association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute the majority of non-alcoholic refreshment beverages consumed in Canada.
The association represents more than 60 brands of juices, juice drinks, bottled waters, sports drinks, ready-to-serve iced teas and coffees, carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, and other non-alcoholic beverages.
The Canadian Beverage Association employs 60,000 Canadians from coast to coast, with over 18,000 jobs in manufacturing. Our jobs are made in Canada, and our products are made in Canada. We proudly represent the makers of more than 60 brands of non-alcoholic beverages in more than 200 facilities nation-wide.
SOURCE Canadian Beverage Association
Jeff Rutledge, Senior Director, Communications, Canadian Beverage Association, T: 416-362-2424 | M: 647-462-3761, [email protected]
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