The voluntary withdrawal of soda sales from public schools in Anne Arundel County doesn?t represent much of a change for students.
Vending machines in Anne Arundel middle and elementary schools aren?t available to students during the school day, and the machines are timed not to work until after the end of the last lunch period in high schools, said Renee Koehler, supervisor of food and nutrition services for Anne Arundel County Schools.
“It discourages competition with school meals,” she said.
The soda distributors? announcement came just before a school wellness task force is expected to deliver its recommendations to the county School Board.
According to a deal announced Wednesday bythe William J. Clinton Foundation, the nation?s largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools.
Under the agreement, the companies will sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milk to elementary and middle schools, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Bill Clinton. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools.
Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage Association have all signed onto the deal, Carson said. The American Beverage Association represents the majority of school vending bottlers.
Nearly 35 million students nationwide will be affected, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation said in a news release. The group, a collaboration between Clinton?s foundation and the American Heart Association, helped broker the deal.
Under the agreement, high schools still can purchase drinks such as diet and unsweetened teas, diet sodas, sports drinks, flavored water, seltzer and low-calorie sports drinks from distributors.
? The Associated Press contributed to this story.
