P&G set to sell Sunny D
Pringles-to-Pampers group Procter & Gamble indicated today it could sell controversial drink Sunny D after revealing it intends to explore “alternative options” for ownership.
Sales in Ireland and Britain, which make up around 8% of global sales, have surged 32% since a recent advertising campaign designed to position Sunny D as an alternative to fizzy drinks.
P&G brand manager Jon Lear said the decision was a global one and not driven by factors in Ireland and Britain where the drink, previously known as Sunny Delight, had grown through marketing.
He said: “We have a very strong business in the UK and for us it remains business as usual.”
P&G claims Sunny D meets parents’ needs for a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks, highlighting the no-added sugar versions and the vitamin content of the juice.
But Sunny D has previously come in for criticism from parents and consumer groups.
Tim Lobstein, spokesman for independent food watchdog the British Food Commission, said: “They masquerade as a chilled juice in an opaque bottle in the chilled cabinet but they are little better than most fruit squashes.”
The brand earlier suffered from revelations about its sugar and low fruit content and claims that a young girl turned orange after drinking too much of it.
Recent growth of the brand has also been driven by the introduction of a new lemon and lime flavour – which has seen a 40% sales growth in the past four weeks.
