The boss of Dr Pepper Snapple Group has said he will not let "threats" to the industry over obesity concerns affect the group's volumes.

Speaking late yesterday (13 February) following the group's full-year results, president & CEO Larry Young acknowleged a damning new report from the Centre for Science and Public Interest. "These threats from our industry are not going to go away," he told an analysts' conference call. "But we're not going to sit back and let it bring our volumes down and affect us."

Young talked up the opportunities for the group's new low-calorie Ten range, launched last month. "We know we have a winning proposition with our TEN platform," he said. "And with strong marketing plans and retail activation in place, we're confident it can help to reinvigorate the category over time."

The CEO also welcomed competition in the sector, saying the more activity from the likes of PepsiCo and Coca-Cola the better it is for the industry.

"We are all very competitive, we are used to fighting on the street, we go after the activation, we go after the best taste, and the best man wins. So I look forward to competitive activity," he said.

The group's full-year net sales came in flat and CFO Marty Ellen told analysts: "The macro-economic environment remains challenging, with tax increases and higher healthcare costs weighing on consumer discretionary spending."