PepsiCo Signs Up To Public Health Responsibility Deal

15 March 2011 - PepsiCo UK, the maker of Quaker oats, Tropicana, Copella, Pepsi and Walkers crisps, has signed up to the Government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal, specifically to pledges on salt reduction, the removal of transfats from products and workplace health.

In supporting the Responsibility Deal, PepsiCo reaffirms its commitment to improving the nutritional profile of its products, building on progress already made significantly to reformulate its products and portfolio:

• Walkers Crisps reformulation has reduced saturated fat by 70-80% and salt levels by 25-55% without compromising taste.
• New healthier products include Walkers Baked, wholegrain SunBites, Planet Lunch and Oats So Simple Pots.

This reformulation forms part of PepsiCo UK’s broader ambition, set out in a Health Report published last year, for its future profit and growth to be driven by healthier products.

Richard Evans, President of PepsiCo UK and Ireland said:

“The Responsibility Deal forms a natural part of our on-going journey to reshape our product portfolio.

“By introducing the initiative, the Government recognises that companies like PepsiCo have the resources and the reach to influence the diets of hundreds of thousands of people in the UK and make a profound difference, both through our products and through our workplace. 

“Today’s launch of the Responsibility Deal sees the start of a process to help people balance the ‘energy in, energy out’ challenge of modern life. Achieving change will require concerted action across all the Responsibility Deal Networks and I hope all stakeholders will commit to playing their role. We are committed to playing our part.”

PepsiCo UK’s health goals are integral to the global Promise of PepsiCo: a commitment to delivering sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and the planet.