The health advocacy group FIZZ has unveiled New Zealand's first 'no sugary drinks' logo in Wellington.
It's part of its aim to have a 'sugary drink-free' country by the year 2025.
Logo designer Bodo Lang says it will be used by schools, organisations and at events that want to show they don't supply drinks with added sugar.
"The idea behind this is to be sugary drinks free and communicate that idea with a simple logo."
The logo that FIZZ wants to be used
FIZZ founder Gerhard Sundborn links sugary drinks to a number of serious health problems including obesity, type-2 diabetes and rotten teeth.
He says those problems can be reduced if certain drinks are eliminated.
"It's any drink with sugar in it. Within our definition we would include juices; juices have a high concentration of sugar."
But a sugary drink free New Zealand wouldn't necessarily be a New Zealand where we only drink milk and water.
Mr Sundborn encourages beverage manufacturers to invest further in sugar-free alternatives, like the 'diet' and 'zero' options.
"They're not having to get rid of or lose business. It's just [about making] their flagship beverages ones that have no sugar in them."
The logo could be used at events alongside similar smokefree and recycle logos
But Olly Munro, the president of the New Zealand Beverage Council, says beverages are being unfairly targeted.
"We feel that by narrowing it down just to one product isn't helpful and isn't going to tackle the issues that we're facing."
The council has conducted its own research that shows sugary drinks only contribute to a small portion of a person's daily sugar intake.
It wants FIZZ to focus on certain cereals and muesli as well, but Mr Sundborn disagrees.
"By targeting drinks we're getting the big ticket item," he says.
The logo will soon be available on its website to download and use.
Newshub.
