juice

Sir, In response to the article ‘Why sugar concerns could hit juice harder than fizzy drinks’, I believe it’s time for all of us, on both sides of the debate, to step up and stop confusing people with sensationalist stories and false claims.

We must take our responsibilities for clear communications seriously, stop treating consumers and shoppers as ignorant and give them facts to help them make up their minds. Flawed studies like the one published in the Journal of American Medicine, particularly when left unchallenged, could irreparably damage the juices and smoothies category both for consumers and the industry as a whole. We must not allow this to happen.

Education, balance and choice are important words we all need to consider in everything we do. Sugar is necessary for life and there are good and bad ways of getting it into our body. Let’s educate people instead of scaremongering or hiding it from them.

I believe uniting around a shared goal of transparency and truthful communication and education is essential to helping consumers to make educated choices and to protecting the long-term prosperity of the juices and smoothies category as a whole.

Paul Gurnell, CEO, Savsé