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Trade body calls for state-wide ban on soft drinks by MNCs
Members of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanga Peravai staged a protest against soft drinks manufactured by foreign multinational corporations by pouring soft drinks on the roads in different parts of the city.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
A few weeks ago, vendors selling such soft drinks were asked by the Tamil Nadu Traders Association to stop the sales of such products soon after jallikattu protest in Marina from March 1 and many traders in the city had also conformed to the boycott call.
However, since some traders continued to sell such products, members from Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanga Peravai gathered on Wednesday morning, seized beverages from several shops and poured the soft drinks on the road.
The police, when they got wind of the situation, rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the agitators. Later, they were taken to a private community hall and released later in the afternoon.
Speaking to DTNext, T Vellaiyan president of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanga Peravai said, “If traders continue to sell the products, they will be removed from the association.”
Meanwhile, president of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu AM Vikrama Raja said, “About 70 per cent of the (15 lakh) traders have decided to boycott soft drinks made by MNCs from today onwards for their toxic nature. What you find on the shelves of the stores are leftover stocks and those not taken back by the (distributing) agencies,” he said.
Boycott on soft drinks is against ‘Make in India’: IBA
In wake of the ongoing protests against soft drinks and colas manufactured by multinational corporations, the Indian Beverage Association (IBA) has expressed disappointment towards the call to boycott such products, a release said.
“This demand is against the proven fundamentals of robust economic growth, and against the clarion call of ‘Make in India’ and the boycott call also violates the rights of the consumer to exercise choice,” the IBA said. The association also clarified that both Hindustan Coca-Cola and PepsiCo India are local companies, registered in India and compliant to all applicable rules and regulations. They respect local culture and consumer sentiments, the release noted. “Coca-Cola and PepsiCo India together provide direct employment to 2,000 families in the state and more than 5,000 families indirectly, through their extensive supply chain, it said and added that they also played a critical role in improving the livelihood of over 2 lakh retailers, who earn more than Rs 400 crores in income by selling products manufactured by the two companies,” the release said.
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