Without choice things become immediately less enjoyable, more difficult. Today UK schools know this all too well, given that in recent years they have experienced a malaise linked directly to the limited choice of soft drinks they have been able to offer students at break and meal time. The history behind this is well documented and known to us all - the driving concerns around childhood obesity and poor diet were (and still are) there to be addressed. However, the lack of credible solutions offered to schools by some of the nation's big drinks manufacturers is perhaps less easy to understand. For too long now many children have been forced to settle for less appealing soft drink alternatives at school. Some children of course have simply refused to and continue to steal away at break time to choose from a wider range at the local corner-shop (a concerning practice in today's world). And schools themselves have been faced with the moral dilemma of either going against governmental nutrition standards and fighting to hold onto traditional fizzy drinks (given their overwhelming desirability to children and importance to schools revenue), or simply throwing them out (with all the ramifications that this has around child safety during school hours and future revenue streams essential to a school's development). But times are changing. Other options now exist. Today there are new independent drinks businesses addressing these concerns and requirements. New businesses that are well established and committed to offering school children and schools an improved choice.
So what is this new choice for children in schools? Water, milk, fruit juices and now at last a small but timely selection of ‘better for you' fizzy drinks. ... you mean a fizzy drink that isn't bad for you? Indeed. A new breed of fizzy drink that we as parents, teachers, and caterers can all feel entirely comfortable giving to our children. So choice for children is immediately improved. However, this choice has been improved still further. The truly new generation of fizzy drinks offer fun and excitement in a way that makes them highly relevant and highly desirable to the children themselves. We're not talking hardcore overt health messages - they just turn many of us off (and children in particular) - we're talking drinks brands that offer relevance and desirability to our children beyond just the product. We're talking inspiration, support, utility in what a drink offers as a brand but without any of the compromises to date associated with a fizzy drink product. At SUSO we talk of inspiring children to ‘drink healthily and think creatively'. To the children themselves we talk ‘NO CAN'T DO' as a positive attitude capable of motivating us all to achieve great things in life. Whether children choose to drink the product or embrace the attitude, well that comes back to choice.
And what does this improved choice do for the schools themselves? With fun and refreshment at the drinks counters it means the end of break-time and mealtime disappointment for children. It means less chance of children disappearing off the premises at break time and putting themselves at risk. It means no more black market dealing on the playground for the young entrepreneur (who personally I can't help but admire). But fundamentally it means the revenue stream is back on for schools, free from any moral dilemma. Moreover looking at the sales rates I have observed in recent weeks, these schools can now look confidently towards a strong contribution from the canteen towards their own wider development.
All this from a new soft drink? Yes. In this case a soft drink, a fizzy drink, that isn't bad for children and that they may soon want above all others for themselves? That's not just choice, that's better choice, maybe even the right choice. But take it or leave it. This is indeed the joy of choice.
