On Earth Day, and every day, the American Beverage Association (ABA) and its member companies demonstrate their longstanding commitment to our environment through ongoing efforts to further reduce their environmental impact. “The beverage industry’s leadership in environmental sustainability has never been stronger than it is today,” said Susan Neely, ABA president and CEO. “We are leading a race to the top in the consumer products industry through the design of lightweight, more environmentally-friendly packaging.  Through our support, we are seeing comprehensive, efficient and effective community recycling programs get off the ground, including one launched this past year through a successful partnership with Florida’s Palm Beach County.  Our work is helping in communities throughout America, and as an industry, we have only just begun.”

“This abstract, which is not peer-reviewed nor published in a way where its methodology can be fully evaluated, is more about sensationalism than science.  It does not show that consuming sugar-sweetened beverages causes chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer – the real causes of death among the studied subjects. The researchers make a huge leap when they take beverage intake calculations from around the globe and allege that those beverages are the cause of deaths which the authors themselves acknowledge are due to chronic disease.”

“The court ruling provides a sigh of relief to New Yorkers and thousands of small businesses in New York City that would have been harmed by this arbitrary and unpopular ban.  With this ruling behind us, we look forward to collaborating with city leaders on solutions that will have a meaningful and lasting impact on the people of New York City.”

“This study does not show – or even attempt to show – that consuming sugar causes diabetes. In fact, its most robust finding confirms the well-established relationship between obesity and diabetes risk.  Importantly, however, the study’s conclusions on sugar and diabetes should be viewed cautiously given that the underlying model failed to consider the potential impact of solid fats – such as butter, cheese and lard – or factor for family history.”

This study confirms that diet beverages can be an important tool in helping reduce calories and directly counters the illogical assertion that drinking diet beverages causes people to eat more or to want sweet foods and beverages.

“Everyone has a role to play in reducing obesity levels – a fact completely ignored in this petition. This is why the beverage industry has worked to increase options and information for consumers, Today about 45 percent of all non-alcoholic beverages purchased have zero calories and the overall average number of calories per beverage serving is down 23 percent since 1998.  Beverage companies voluntarily removed full-calorie soft drinks from all schools and replaced them with lower-calorie choices, resulting in a 90 percent reduction in beverage calories shipped to schools since 2004. Beverage companies voluntarily added calorie labels to the front of all their packages, making it easier than ever for consumers to know how many calories are in their beverage choice before making a purchase.  Americans are consuming 37 percent fewer calories from sugar in soft drinks and other sweetened beverages than in 2000, according to the CDC.   

In response to “Artificial Sweeteners Versus Regular Mixers Increase Breath Alcohol Concentrations in Male and Female Social Drinkers,” a paper appearing in the April issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, the American Beverage Association issued the following statement:

In response to “Energy Drinks: What Teenagers (and Their Doctors) Should Know,” an article to be published in the February issue of Pediatrics in Review, the American Beverage Association issued the following statement:

“The DAWN Report is more sensational than substantive.  The report suggests that of the 136 million emergency room visits in a year, less than two one-hundredths of a percent are allegedly associated with energy drinks.  Of that amount, 42 percent were by someone who had admitted to consuming alcohol or taking illegal substances or pharmaceuticals.  In addition, we know nothing about the overall health of these individuals, if they had consumed other caffeinated products, taken medications or accurately self-reported any of the above. Nor do we know what symptoms or incidents brought them to the ER in the first place.  Without this information it’s impossible to understand the actual role – if any – of energy drinks in these hospital visits. 

“This report does not share information about the overall health of those who may have consumed energy drinks, or what symptoms brought them to the ER in the first place.  In fact, it shows that 42 percent of the reported ER visits were by someone who had admitted to consuming alcohol or taking illegal substances or pharmaceuticals.  However, there is no way to assess whether any of the remaining individuals chose not to report this fact, and the consumption of those substances along with energy drinks means the energy drinks may be irrelevant.  Additionally, there is no basis by which to understand the overall caffeine intake of any of these individuals – from all sources, from coffee or other caffeinated products.   Importantly, caffeine has been deemed safe for consumption by the FDA and most mainstream energy drinks contain about half the caffeine of a similarsize cup of coffeehouse coffee.”