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AKA · 03-03-2004, 08:11 PM

Coke Questioned on Its Dasani Advertising

By Thomas Wagner
The Associated Press

LONDON -- The Coca-Cola Co., world famous for its "real thing" sodas, is being questioned in Britain about using the word "pure" to advertise its Dasani bottled water.

Why? Because it's specially treated London tap water.

On Tuesday, British trading standard officials asked the borough where Coke's headquarters is based to look into the matter.

Coke, which sells a similarly made Dasani water in the United States, said it's confident it's abiding by the local rules.

"We work closely with all regulatory bodies and in this instance we are fully satisfied that we are compliant with all guidelines and regulations," the company said in a statement.

A Coke spokesman said on condition of anonymity that the complaint may have been made by its competitors in Britain's $1.9 billion-a-year bottled water market.

Coke says its Dasani water is treated in a highly sophisticated filtration process, perfected by NASA to purify fluids on spacecraft.

But why, British newspapers such as The Daily Mail asked Tuesday, should consumers pay up to $1.76 for 17 ounces of Dasani when it's based on London drinking water that costs 6 cents for the same amount?

The same purification process is used for the Dasani water that Coke has sold in the United States since 1999. Dasani is the second-best seller in the bottled water market there, behind a similar purified water product -- Aquafina -- made by Pepsi-Cola Co.

Britain's Food Standards Agency asked the borough authority where Coca-Cola's headquarters is based to look into whether the term "pure, still water" breached labeling guidelines.

Dasani, which was launched in Britain last month, uses municipal water at Coca-Cola's factory in Sidcup, southeast London.

The soft drinks giant said a "highly sophisticated purification process" removes any impurities, such as "bacteria, viruses, salts, minerals, sugars, proteins and toxin particles" from the tap water.

The Food Standards Agency said Dasani may have broken guidelines designed to protect shoppers from misleading marketing.

"This bottled water does not appear to follow our labeling guidance on the use of the term `pure,'" an agency spokesman said on customary condition of anonymity.

"Consumers may not realize that there are three types of water sold in bottles: natural mineral water, spring water and drinking water (which can be tap water). If a product is not labeled as mineral water or spring water, it will, in fact, be bottled drinking water."

The FSA's guidelines state the term "pure" should only apply to "single ingredient foods or to highlight the quality of ingredients."

Since Dasani takes tap water, a pure product, removes material through purification, then adds calcium, magnesium and sodium bicarbonate for taste, it may not be allowed to be called "pure," he said.

EricIdlefan · 03-03-2004, 09:50 PM

Makes you believe if that coke is making the drink real or not and questions the company's truth in advertising!!

FamilyTiesGOP · 03-03-2004, 10:13 PM

I drink water straight from the tap and I am still here to tell about it. For certain people, bottled water is important (my mom needs it because of kidney problems), but for most of us, tap water is just fine, IMO.

SBTB Geek · 03-04-2004, 02:14 AM

That is terrible, but I'm sure they at least had a great purification system.

Nanny Fine · 03-04-2004, 10:07 AM

I drink bottled water only - I hate tap water, I always have. When they started making bottled water I began to drink it by the gallons. Now it's all I drink.

I dont dirnk much Dasani though - mostly Aquafina.

PZelda · 03-04-2004, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FamilyTiesGOP
I drink water straight from the tap and I am still here to tell about it. For certain people, bottled water is important (my mom needs it because of kidney problems), but for most of us, tap water is just fine, IMO.

Same here...Some of the towns' purification systems suck, though. I lived in another town til six months ago, and their purification system was crap. They would put chemicals to purify the water, but you would still taste it when you got water from the tap...As a result, the water never ACTUALLY looked clear, and it was "hard" water too. As in it was hard on the skin, etc. so we invested in a water cooler system - you know, like how they have one in the office. We had one with actual purified water, and it was soooo much better than the water from the tap where I lived.

It sucked having to carry the 5-gallon jugs to get them refilled, tho! I DON'T miss that at all. They weighed 45 lbs.

EricIdlefan · 03-04-2004, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Miss Vicki
Same here...Some of the towns' purification systems suck, though. I lived in another town til six months ago, and their purification system was crap. They would put chemicals to purify the water, but you would still taste it when you got water from the tap...As a result, the water never ACTUALLY looked clear, and it was "hard" water too. As in it was hard on the skin, etc. so we invested in a water cooler system - you know, like how they have one in the office. We had one with actual purified water, and it was soooo much better than the water from the tap where I lived.

It sucked having to carry the 5-gallon jugs to get them refilled, tho! I DON'T miss that at all. They weighed 45 lbs.

Dirty water is never ever good at all and it has to taste like garbage even though it seemed to look good but the taste had to be well, garbage!!

¤I Love Clay Aiken¤ · 03-04-2004, 04:35 PM

I only like the water from the upstairs sink or the fridge (which is now broke), but other than that I only do bottled because its nice and ice cold. I prefer Poland Spring. Dasani always had some weird after taste. Blech.

Rhiannon · 03-04-2004, 04:45 PM

I like Dasani but it's not my favorite bottled water. I like Sam's Choice the best

JoJoJoJoJoJoJoJoJo · 03-04-2004, 05:49 PM

I prefert tap water. I can't stand AquaFina... that might be why i like Dasani better.

03-03-2004, 08:11 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Coke Questioned on Its Dasani Advertising Coke Questioned on Its Dasani Advertising By Thomas Wagner The Associated Press LONDON -- The Coca-Cola Co., world famous for its "real thing" sodas, is being questioned in Britain about using the word "pure" to advertise its Dasani bottled water. Why? Because it's specially treated London tap water. On Tuesday, British trading standard officials asked the borough where Coke's headquarters is based to look into the matter. Coke, which sells a similarly made Dasani water in the United States, said it's confident it's abiding by the local rules. "We work closely with all regulatory bodies and in this instance we are fully satisfied that we are compliant with all guidelines and regulations," the company said in a statement. A Coke spokesman said on condition of anonymity that the complaint may have been made by its competitors in Britain's $1.9 billion-a-year bottled water market. Coke says its Dasani water is treated in a highly sophisticated filtration process, perfected by NASA to purify fluids on spacecraft. But why, British newspapers such as The Daily Mail asked Tuesday, should consumers pay up to $1.76 for 17 ounces of Dasani when it's based on London drinking water that costs 6 cents for the same amount? The same purification process is used for the Dasani water that Coke has sold in the United States since 1999. Dasani is the second-best seller in the bottled water market there, behind a similar purified water product -- Aquafina -- made by Pepsi-Cola Co. Britain's Food Standards Agency asked the borough authority where Coca-Cola's headquarters is based to look into whether the term "pure, still water" breached labeling guidelines. Dasani, which was launched in Britain last month, uses municipal water at Coca-Cola's factory in Sidcup, southeast London. The soft drinks giant said a "highly sophisticated purification process" removes any impurities, such as "bacteria, viruses, salts, minerals, sugars, proteins and toxin particles" from the tap water. The Food Standards Agency said Dasani may have broken guidelines designed to protect shoppers from misleading marketing. "This bottled water does not appear to follow our labeling guidance on the use of the term `pure,'" an agency spokesman said on customary condition of anonymity. "Consumers may not realize that there are three types of water sold in bottles: natural mineral water, spring water and drinking water (which can be tap water). If a product is not labeled as mineral water or spring water, it will, in fact, be bottled drinking water." The FSA's guidelines state the term "pure" should only apply to "single ingredient foods or to highlight the quality of ingredients." Since Dasani takes tap water, a pure product, removes material through purification, then adds calcium, magnesium and sodium bicarbonate for taste, it may not be allowed to be called "pure," he said.

03-03-2004, 09:50 PM	#2
EricIdlefan USA 250th! Forum Addict Join Date: Oct 12, 2003 Location: East TN Posts: 68,236	Makes you believe if that coke is making the drink real or not and questions the company's truth in advertising!!
	__________________ JUSA 250th Anniversary!

03-04-2004, 10:07 AM	#5
Nanny Fine Justine and Holden.. Senior Member Join Date: Jan 01, 2003 Location: Watching The Ellen Degeneres Show and luvin' it Posts: 2,852	I drink bottled water only - I hate tap water, I always have. When they started making bottled water I began to drink it by the gallons. Now it's all I drink. I dont dirnk much Dasani though - mostly Aquafina.
	__________________ * How it all came down to this, only the Devil knows. Retail Rodeo is at the corner on my left. The motel is down the road to my right. I close my eyes and try to peer into the future. On my left, I saw days upon days of lipstick and ticking clocks, dirty looks and quiet whisperings. And burning secrets that just won't ever die away. And on my right, what could I picture? The blue sky, the desert earth, stretching out into the eerie infinity. A beautiful never-ending nothing. ~Justine, "The Good Girl" * Bush for President!

03-04-2004, 04:35 PM	#8
¤I Love Clay Aiken¤ MISS APRIL Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 19, 2001 Location: Parsonsfield ME Shaws - Screwing my way up the employment ladder! Posts: 68,780	I only like the water from the upstairs sink or the fridge (which is now broke), but other than that I only do bottled because its nice and ice cold. I prefer Poland Spring. Dasani always had some weird after taste. Blech.
	__________________ DAVID COOK FOR AMERICAN IDOL

03-04-2004, 04:45 PM	#9
Rhiannon oh, snap! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Jul 19, 2002 Location: middle of nowhere Posts: 11,097	I like Dasani but it's not my favorite bottled water. I like Sam's Choice the best
	__________________ Nothing better the feeling is so fine Simply put I saw your love stream flow

03-03-2004, 10:13 PM	#3
FamilyTiesGOP _ Senior Member Join Date: Oct 28, 2003 Posts: 1,631	I drink water straight from the tap and I am still here to tell about it. For certain people, bottled water is important (my mom needs it because of kidney problems), but for most of us, tap water is just fine, IMO.

03-04-2004, 02:14 AM	#4
SBTB Geek Smooth Moderator Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 21, 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 6,004	That is terrible, but I'm sure they at least had a great purification system.

03-04-2004, 05:49 PM	#10
JoJoJoJoJoJoJoJoJo A and J Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 31, 2001 Location: .S.C. Posts: 3,070	I prefert tap water. I can't stand AquaFina... that might be why i like Dasani better.
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