Coca-Cola to display calorie counts, stop marketing to children

Coca-Cola announced plans today to put calorie counts on the front of all of its packaging, according to Bloomberg.

This is part of a plan to combat public perception that the company contributes to obesity by marketing its sugary beverages to younger consumers.

The company pledged to stop marketing its products to children under age 12 in 2007. Coke also has plans to foster physical fitness programs in more than 200 countries. It already hosts activity programs in about 100 countries in which it operates.

In 2007, PepsiCo also committed to limit advertising to children under 12 for products that meet specific nutrition criteria.

With this effort, Coca-Cola aims to stall any government action to limit soda consumption.

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and the American Beverage Association spent nearly $70 million on lobbying and issue ads between 2009 and 2011, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.