America’s biggest nonalcoholic beverage companies will add ingredient safety data to drink packaging QR code links, giving consumers access to more information about the contents of their products.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The initiative is led by the American Beverage Association, the trade group that represents major drinks companies including Keurig Dr Pepper, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Co.In a rare show of unity, these companies that usually compete with one another are working together on the effort.
Participating brands include Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Celsius, Monster Energy, Polar Beverages and Red Bull.Consumers who scan the QR codes will have the option of opening GoodToKnowFacts.org, a website launched by the ABA last year, which contains information about more than 140 ingredients commonly found in packaged beverages.For each ingredient, the site lists a short description, other foods or beverages that use it, and whether it is authorized for use by food safety regulators, including the Food and Drug Administration, the European Food Safety Authority, and Health Canada.
Pepsi has already linked its beverage QR codes to the website.Coca-Cola is expected to complete its rollout this month, and Keurig Dr Pepper is expected to add the feature later this year.The rollout comes as the Trump administration’s top health officials have called for greater transparency around food ingredient safety and less reliance on the food industry to self-regulate.At the same time, American consumers are focusing more on the relationship between food and health.
A recent EY survey found that 6 in 10 consumers pay attention to ingredients when choosing beverages.The growing interest in ingredients has helped fuel the popularity of nutrition apps such as Yuka, Bobby Approved and Zoe, which let users scan a product’s barcode to see a health score.
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