Pepsi and the bottled water activists
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Renita Jablonski: It’s annual meeting day for Pepsi shareholders. Earlier this week, Pepsi announced it’ll reduce the amount of plastic it uses in its some of its packaging. But some shareholders think the company should also be taking a look at all the plastic it uses for bottled water. Marketplace’s Lisa Napoli has more.
Lisa Napoli: Activists want Pepsi shareholders to give thumbs up to a “water rights” resolution, a commitment to provide access to clean water for all. Kelle Louallier of Corporate Accountability International says we’re so hooked on bottled water, she’s afraid municipal water sources won’t get the support they need, and those who can’t afford bottled water will suffer.
Kelle Louallier: Over the past 15 years, we’ve seen a handful of companies essentially shift the way that people, particularly in this country, think about water.
Joe Dass is with the International Bottled Water Association. He says Louallier’s off-base.
Joe Dass: It isn’t a tap water versus a bottled water issue. Shouldn’t be.
Dass says it’s in the industry’s best interest to have a good municipal water supply in place, since some of the bottlers, like Pepsi, use it as a source.
In Los Angeles, I’m Lisa Napoli for Marketplace.
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