PepsiCo said Friday that it will shortly change the label on its Aquafina bottled water to reflect that its “purified drinking water” is, in fact, tap water. The new labels will say that Aquafina comes from a “public water source.”
The decision was made under pressure from a group called Corporate Accountability International, which, among other things, works to get manufacturers to change what it sees as misleading marketing practices.
"If this helps clarify the fact that the water originates from public sources, then it's a reasonable thing to do," PepsiCo spokeswoman Michelle Naughton said Friday.
The Coca-Cola Co., which purifies public water for its Dasani brand, noted that it identifies the source as public water on its website, and sees no need to change its labels.
"We don't believe that consumers are confused about the source of Dasani water," said Coca-Cola spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante. "The label clearly states that it is purified water."
The decision was made under pressure from a group called Corporate Accountability International, which, among other things, works to get manufacturers to change what it sees as misleading marketing practices.
"If this helps clarify the fact that the water originates from public sources, then it's a reasonable thing to do," PepsiCo spokeswoman Michelle Naughton said Friday.
The Coca-Cola Co., which purifies public water for its Dasani brand, noted that it identifies the source as public water on its website, and sees no need to change its labels.
"We don't believe that consumers are confused about the source of Dasani water," said Coca-Cola spokeswoman Diana Garza Ciarlante. "The label clearly states that it is purified water."
- KC's View:
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I could be wrong about this, but I think Coke is making a mistake on this one. It is a transparency issue, and being upfront - not just in fact but in perception – is a critical value in the modern environment.
Arguing for the truth can be powerful and persuasive. Just check out Corporate Accountability International’s website: http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/cms/
