Companies to promote healthier caloric intake

The Barbados Beverage Coalition has announced national initiatives to promote a healthier Barbados through product innovation, reduced calorie consumption, and a national public awareness campaign.

Leading beverage companies, Barbados Bottling Company, Banks Holding Limited (BHL), and Hanschell Inniss Limited, along with the Barbados Manufacturing Association (BMA) and Barbados Chamber of Commerce are working together to launch active, voluntary initiatives to reduce beverage calories in the Barbadian diet. The broad-based programs are focused on introducing and promoting a wider variety of reduced-calorie beverages and a greater variety of portion sizes. In addition, the companies and partners are adopting school beverage guidelines and innovative marketing strategies in Barbados.

“We are amplifying and building on our commitments as an industry. We have been responding with new products as we know people want more choices to help reduce calories and sugar consumption in their diet. Our companies and partners are committed to innovating products with less sugar or no sugar at all, plus a greater variety of portion sizes to support efforts to find balance,” stated Andre Thomas, General Manager of Barbados Bottling Company.

The companies will employ strategies that leverage their expertise in marketing, distribution, and product innovation, including:

• Introducing new beverage products with fewer calories and offering products in smaller package sizes (e.g., mini cans).

• Featuring reduced calorie beverages more prominently, including bottled water.

• Enhancing marketing of existing beverage products with reduced calories per ounce.

• Engaging in the BCI Initiative, a consumer awareness program to encourage balance and moderation in calorie consumption.

• Promoting clearer, easy to find calorie and nutrition information on our packaging.

“Our companies are focused on building stronger partnerships with retailers, government, and NGOs in a national initiative to promote balanced, healthier lifestyles in Barbados. The Balance Calories Initiative was successfully launched in other parts of the globe with the critical message of “Balance What You Eat, Drink and Do. These three daily actions encourage balance and mindful consumption of calories. Through this public campaign and other actions, we will do our part to remind everyone to think ‘balance’ before making choices,” shared Vidia Woods, Chief Executive Officer of Hanschell Inniss Limited.

The program also involves a series of pledges, including shifting the availability of full calorie beverages in primary and secondary schools. Under these guidelines, the beverage companies will work with the public and private school systems to promote responsible beverage consumption in our school system. In addition, juices, milk, water, certain low and no-calorie beverages and calorie capped sports drinks, and flavored waters will be available in secondary schools.

“We understand the responsibilities associated with beverages and children. We will be collaborating with schools to provide the most appropriate products for students in primary and secondary school environments,” stated Shafia London, Country Manager, Banks Holdings Limited.

(PR)