Poverty not a choice

Once again, the world’s poor are exploited by Western multinationals:

An Indian non-governmental organisation says samples of Coca-Cola and Pepsi products are showing even worse levels of pesticides than in a previous study.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said their investigations revealed that the drinks contain harmful residues, posing a health risk.

A CSE report in 2003 resulted in Pepsi and Coca-Cola strenuously rejecting claims that their drinks were unsafe.

Soft drinks manufacturers have condemned the latest findings.

“Soft drinks are completely safe,” the Indian Soft Drink Manufacturers Association (ISDMA) said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The soft drinks manufactured in India comply with stringent international norms and all applicable national regulations.”

CSE Director Sunita Narain told journalists in Delhi that samples from 12 states showed that Pepsi products contained 30 times more pesticides than found in 2003.… 

Meanwhile, myths persist about the country’s beggars.

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

Site by Common