Coca-Cola is once more in hot water with authorities in India, with it, alongside rival PepsiCo, being accused of producing drinks with toxins way in excess of the levels permitted in the developed world. Both companies have vigorously denied the allegations.
A report by India’s Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) claims that samples of Pepsi drinks it tested contained 36 times the level of pesticide residues, including lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifos, permitted under European Union regulations. Coca-Cola’s had 30 times the level.
The allegations are particularly serious because these chemicals are linked to long-term health problems such as cancer.
“These companies take advantage of the fact that India has no regulations governing the quality of water that goes into soft drinks,” said Sunita Narain, a director of the CSE. “They say they have global standards. But this proves that is not the case.”
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, however, held a joint press conference to refute the claims, suggesting they were the product of a slur campaign against the multi-nationals.
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By GlobalData“The report is baseless and should be disregarded. We conform to the best international norms. We’re open to our product being tested anywhere in the world by an independent and accredited laboratory,” said Rajeev Bakshi, CEO of Pepsi India.
Sanjiv Gupta, president of Coca-Cola India, said: “To maintain the sanctity of our products across hundreds of countries and billions of users we test our brands very regularly in top-grade laboratories in India and abroad.”
The allegations follow that a Coca-Cola plant in India was emitting sludge that contained high levels of toxins harming local farmers in the state of Kerala. Again Coke denied the allegations.
“You have to ask why these allegations keep cropping up,” said Gupta.
