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News
US government wades into cola wars
The American government has embarked upon a new foreign policy initiative, applying gentle pressure to its Indian counterpart in the ongoing saga of the Kerala cola crisis. Coke and Pepsi have been barred from six states, prompting US under secretary for international trade, Franklin Lanvin, to petition his opposite number for fair treatment.
Officials moved to prohibit the sale of the world’s two most popular soft drinks last month following a report by the CSE environmental group, which claimed high levels of pesticides in locally-bottled product. Coke and Pepsi have strenuously denied the claims, and they have now been backed up by the US government.
When contacted by the drinks business, the US embassy in London was unable to comment.
In other news, Coke has returned to Kabul ten years after it was outlawed by the Taliban and closed its facilities in the Afghan capital. A new production plant was opened on the weekend. Demonstrating the importance attached to restoring commercial normality, the facility was opened by president Hamid Karzai.
© db 14th September 2006