Water with raspberry, mango or apple flavor, it sounds healthy. But according to a study by the consumer organization Test-Aankoop, these "flavored waters" also contain many sugars, fruit juices and additives in addition to water. "People think they drink water because they are being misled by the producer, but in fact they just drink lemonade," says Simon November of Test-Aankoop.
In recent years, many flavored drinks have appeared on the market as an alternative to soft drinks and lemonade. But according to Test-Aankoop they are just as bad for health. “This sounds like healthwashing. The products are presented healthier by the brands than they really are. The packaging is reminiscent of water and the drinks are also placed near the water in the supermarket. This makes the consumer think that it is healthy. But of the 26 flavored waters studied, half were actually lemonade, "says Simon November.
The organization complains that the ingredients are not clearly stated on the packaging. And therefore filed a complaint with the FPS Economy, so that all water-based drinks to which sugars, fruit juice and other additives have been added are considered lemonade and not water. "We are going to request the documents and on that basis we will look at what can be done," says Minister of Economy.
"We are honest" The producers are not impressed and do not intend to implement changes. "It is definitely an alternative for those who want to drink less sugared drinks," says Laura Brems from Coca-Cola supported by the VIFW sector federation. “We are honest, because all the ingredients are on the packaging. And there are effective calories in our products, but we communicate openly about that, ".
