Anti-sugar campaigners are bowing to pressure from the soft drink giant Coca-Cola and will alter a no sugary drinks logo unveiled just this week.
The logo, which includes the silhouette of a bottle and the word 'No', was presented by the campaign group FIZZ at a conference in Wellington.
The new FIZZ logo has been pulled. Photo: Fizz
FIZZ is a group of researchers and public health doctors pushing for sugary drinks to be banned by 2025.
FIZZ member Bodo Lang, a marketing expert at the University of Auckland Business School, said Coca-Cola raised concerns about the shape being too much like a Coke bottle.
He said FIZZ considered Coca-Cola an ally, given its efforts to make its soft drinks healthier, so they were happy to change the bottle.
Mr Lang said FIZZ hoped to re-launch the logo by Friday.
He had previously said the logo would empower communities around New Zealand to lift their health and wellbeing and send a clear message about the damage caused by too much sugar in our diets.
"The consequences of too much sugar in our diets are far-reaching and wide-ranging for both individuals and society, from harming our wellbeing and the learning of our children, to massive healthcare and productivity costs," he said.
Coca-Cola said the bottle on the new FIZZ logo was too similar to the Coke bottle, FIZZ says. Photo: AFP