• The Financial Times reports that Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli is considering making a bid for Campbell Soup's Godiva chocolate brand, which Campbell reportedly is shopping around and which reportedly could sell for more than $1 billion (US).
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that “a new plastic contour bottle from Coca-Cola with a sculpted hand grip and 5 percent less plastic will begin showing up in U.S. convenience stores today. The company tells the paper that the new bottle was designed both to capture the imagination of consumers who are increasingly seeking other beverage alternatives, as well as to help the company meet its environmental goals.
• Chinese exporters are taking yet another hit, as Mattel Inc. reportedly will recall some 800,000 toys sourced from that country that contain unsafe levels of lead paint. This is the third major recall announced by Mattel in just a matter of months.
Among the toys affected – a musical instrument, a train set, and the company’s flagship brand, Barbie dolls.
• Forbes has a story about as new study by Auburn university saying that “citrus flavored sodas often have a higher caffeine content than the most popular colas. The research also found that caffeine content can vary widely from brand to brand, and even within a brand.”
The study “analyzed the caffeine contents of 56 national brand and 75 store brand carbonated drinks … Caffeine content of well-known national brands include: Coca Cola (33.9 milligrams), Diet Pepsi (36.7 milligrams), Pepsi (38.9 milligrams), Dr Pepper (42.6 milligrams), Diet Dr Pepper (44.1 milligrams), Diet Coke (46.3 milligrams), Mountain Dew (54.8 milligrams) and Diet Mountain Dew (55.2 milligrams).”
Consumer advocates argue that at the very least, shoppers ought to know what they are buying, with caffeine levels clearly labeled on cans and bottles. However, they don’t get much argument from companies like Coke and Pepsi, which are phasing in labels that do just that - in part because buzz-producing caffeine is seen as a positive attribute for beverages in a world where energy drinks are a hot commodity.
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that “a new plastic contour bottle from Coca-Cola with a sculpted hand grip and 5 percent less plastic will begin showing up in U.S. convenience stores today. The company tells the paper that the new bottle was designed both to capture the imagination of consumers who are increasingly seeking other beverage alternatives, as well as to help the company meet its environmental goals.
• Chinese exporters are taking yet another hit, as Mattel Inc. reportedly will recall some 800,000 toys sourced from that country that contain unsafe levels of lead paint. This is the third major recall announced by Mattel in just a matter of months.
Among the toys affected – a musical instrument, a train set, and the company’s flagship brand, Barbie dolls.
• Forbes has a story about as new study by Auburn university saying that “citrus flavored sodas often have a higher caffeine content than the most popular colas. The research also found that caffeine content can vary widely from brand to brand, and even within a brand.”
The study “analyzed the caffeine contents of 56 national brand and 75 store brand carbonated drinks … Caffeine content of well-known national brands include: Coca Cola (33.9 milligrams), Diet Pepsi (36.7 milligrams), Pepsi (38.9 milligrams), Dr Pepper (42.6 milligrams), Diet Dr Pepper (44.1 milligrams), Diet Coke (46.3 milligrams), Mountain Dew (54.8 milligrams) and Diet Mountain Dew (55.2 milligrams).”
Consumer advocates argue that at the very least, shoppers ought to know what they are buying, with caffeine levels clearly labeled on cans and bottles. However, they don’t get much argument from companies like Coke and Pepsi, which are phasing in labels that do just that - in part because buzz-producing caffeine is seen as a positive attribute for beverages in a world where energy drinks are a hot commodity.
- KC's View:
