Supermarket own-brand coke cheaper than water
By Sean Robinson @seanrobinsonUU
Some of Britain’s biggest supermarkets caught up in a row over selling own-brand coke cheaper than water.
A Sunday Time’s investigation reports that Cola was on sale at Lidl and Aldi at 42p per two-litre bottle.
Reports in other national press that a price war has broken out with prices slashed in a battle to lure customers.
Tesco and Morrisons were also accused of selling a special offer of two two-litre bottles for 90p - working out to 45p per bottle.
Compared to the average cost a household would pay for water from the tap around 55p per day, NHS doctor told The Times: “This is quite scandalous”
On checking, the new Public Health England sugar App each two-litre bottle of coke contains about 49 teaspoons of added sugar.
The shocking revelations come less than a week ago when health experts urged parents to swap from buying sugar drinks to cut one million cases of obesity.
Checks by reporters found a 1.5 litre-bottle of Highland Spring priced at 61p in Tesco and a bottle of Buxton Still Mineral Water - the same size - in Morrisons selling for 57p.
It’s reported the Prime Minster is considering creating a fizzy drinks tax after calls by Chef Jamie Oliver.
Doctor Aseem Malhotra told The Sunday Times: "This is quite scandalous.
"Supermarkets have a responsibility to give shoppers more healthy choices and should not be promoting cheap sugary drinks. "This seems to be a clear example where private profit is trumping public health."
In January 2014 Mexico added a sugar tax of one peso (3p) per litre on sweetened beverages.