Today, the American Beverage Association and its members agreed to voluntarily remove sugary sodas
from public schools across the country. Companies including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Cadbury Schweppes are all members of
the ABA. Public high schools that still permit diet sodas will still be able to buy them for their campuses, and they
will also be sold drinks that are considered have some nutritional value, juice, sports drinks and low-fat milk,
though whole milk will no longer be offered because of its calorie content. Elementary and middle schools
will only be sold unsweetened juice, low-fat milk and water. Part of the reason that the soda companies have agreed to
this deal, which was made in conjunction with the William J. Clinton Foundation, is that on-campus soda sales make up a
very small percentage of their overall sales, not to mention that a voluntary withdrawal looks better, from a PR
perspective, than being banned.














