STATES DEBATE SODA, SNACK SALES AT SCHOOL
rnor earlier this month vetoed a bill that would have banned sugared soda and junk food in schools, after New Jersey became the latest state to ban soda and candy sales at schools. That ban takes effect in September 2007. New Jersey also will require weekly nutrition classes in schools. Supporters of the Connecticut bill said that while other states have banned sodas with some exceptions, Connecticut's ban would have gone further by prohibiting sodas until after the end of lunch. The governor said the bill went too far in taking control from parents and local school boards; the bill's supporters alleged that food and beverage companies influenced her decision.
WATER PRICE WAR FORESEEN
PURCHASE, N.Y. -- PepsiCo here was expected to cut the price of half-liter bottles of Aquafina to shore up market share, a tactic that could prompt chief rivals Coca-Cola and Nestle Waters to enter a pricing war. The move would react to the growing consumption of bottled water, which has caused price and profit margin erosion. Cutting prices could help lift sales, but further diminish margins and risk turning water into a commodity with weakened pricing power, observers said.
