Non-diet sodas to be pulled from schools

“Any agreement that limits high-fructose corn syrup and sugar and non-nutrient foods that are served in schools is good, but I don’t think it goes far enough,” she said, citing the calorie content of sports drinks and some flavored milks.

Daynard said the 10 largest cities have already banned soda sales in schools in recent years. Still, the deal imposes stricter drink regulations than are currently in place for nearly 35 million public school students.

Anne Bryant, executive director of the National School Boards Association, said she welcomed the agreement.

“We’re pleased that the parties have decided that there is no need for litigation, because litigation is a terrible waste of time and money,” she said.

John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, which compiles extensive data on the beverage industry, said the agreement would have no impact on the $63 billion beverage industry’s bottom line.

“The sale of sugar-carbonated sodas in schools is a tiny, tiny part of their overall volume,” said Sicher. “Financially, on the big companies, it will have virtually no impact.”

He applauded the move, however. “The impact is more in terms of responsibility and accountability to the consumer,” he said.

Under the agreement, high schools will still be able to sell low-calorie drinks that contain less than 10 calories per serving, as well as up to 12-ounce servings of juice, sports drinks and low-fat and nonfat milk.

The serving sizes for juice and milk will shrink to 10 ounces for middle school students and 8 ounces for elementary school students. Diet sodas and sports drinks won’t be sold in middle and elementary schools, and full-sugar soda and whole milk will no longer be offered.

School sales of sports drinks, diet sodas and bottled water have been on the rise in recent years, while sugary soft drink purchases by students have been falling, according to an ABA report released in December. But regular soda, averaging 150 calories a can, is still the most popular drink, accounting for 45 percent of drinks sold in schools in 2005, according to the report.

The new rules will apply to beverages sold on school grounds during the regular school day and at after-school activities such as band and choir practice. Soda sales at events such as school plays, band concerts and sporting events, where adults are a significant portion of the audience, won’t be affected.

NBC VIDEO Canned May 3: Non-diet sodas will be yanked from schools under a deal announced with the nation’s largest beverage distributors. NBC's Robert Bazell reports. Nightly News

The companies will work to implement the changes at 75 percent of public and private schools they have contracts with before the 2008-2009 school year, and at all of the schools a year later.

The agreement follows an August decision by the ABA to adopt a policy limiting soft drinks in high schools to no more than 50 percent of the selections in vending machines. Unlike the agreement announced Wednesday, that recommendation was not binding.

Most elementary schools are already soda-free.

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