Latest news with #SpriteZero
Express Tribune
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Stormzy faces backlash over endorsing McDonald's meal after deleting posts supporting Palestine
Stormzy is facing significant backlash after signing an endorsement deal with McDonald's, with fans and prominent figures criticizing his decision to align with the brand. The Croydon-born rapper recently became the face of a new McDonald's campaign, which includes a special meal named after him—the "Stormzy Meal," featuring nine chicken nuggets, fries, BBQ dips, Sprite Zero, and an Oreo McFlurry or apple pie. One McDonald's branch in Croydon has even been rebranded as 'Big Mike's' in celebration of the collaboration. However, the deal has sparked controversy, particularly because of McDonald's ties to the Israeli military. McDonald's Israeli franchise, Alonyal, has been donating free meals to Israel's military, which has led to calls for a global boycott by the Palestinian-led BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement. Fans have voiced their anger, accusing Stormzy of hypocrisy for endorsing a brand involved in such controversy after previously supporting Palestine in 2023. Stormzy is a genuine disgrace. He said 'in the future, if there is ever a clear injustice in the world no matter how big or small, 100 times out of 100 I will always be on the side of the oppressed,' then deleted that post and sold out for McDonald's money. There's 0 integrity. — Umir (@umirf1) February 13, 2025 In that year, Stormzy posted a message on Instagram expressing his support for Palestine, saying he would always stand with the oppressed. However, some of these posts were later archived, a move that sources close to the artist have denied was related to the McDonald's deal. Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour Party leader, also weighed in, accusing Stormzy of 'culture-washing' McDonald's image and urging him to end the partnership in solidarity with Palestinians. Stormy has sold out Posters have gone up across the capital over @stormzy McDonalds meal deal. — London & UK Street News (@CrimeLdn) February 20, 2025 Stormzy sold out for 9 nuggets, sorry that's a Judas move. Free Palestine 🇵🇸 — Michael Morgan (@mikecmorgan) February 14, 2025 Adding fuel to the fire, satirist Darren Cullen launched a campaign in South London, posting signs that read, 'Stormzy has sold out,' highlighting his controversial endorsement. The backlash has sparked a larger conversation about the role of celebrities in activism and the influence of corporate endorsements.
Euronews
05-02-2025
- Health
- Euronews
‘No place in our food': Consumer groups launch petition to ban aspartame in Europe
A petition to ban the artificial sweetener aspartame was launched on Tuesday by the international non-profit Foodwatch, the French Cancer League, and the mobile app company Yuka. The petition is addressed to the European Commission and EU member states. "There's no time to lose. The inaction of governments and Europe over the last year and a half is intolerable,' Natacha Cingotti, a senior campaigns strategist at Foodwatch International, said in a statement. 'An additive with so many risks has no place in our food or drink,' she added, urging European decision-makers to 'protect us". The coalition said that aspartame is present in more than 2,500 products in Europe, particularly sugar-free food and drinks such as Coca-Cola Zero, Pepsi Max, and Sprite Zero. Foodwatch partnered with Yuka, a mobile application that scans food and cosmetic product barcodes and rates them based on their health impact. "95 per cent of Yuka users say they have stopped buying products containing controversial additives thanks to the app," said Julie Chapon, Yuka's managing director. 'We now want to empower consumers so that they can act as a lever for banning this risky additive'. The app says it has 45 million users in Europe. On average 40 per cent of Europeans reported consuming aspartame with Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands having higher consumption, according to a survey based on seven countries commissioned by Foodwatch. In all the countries, the majority of respondents agreed that aspartame should be banned from food as a precautionary measure until its safety can be guaranteed. Aspartame was classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in July 2023. This means that there's limited evidence linking it to cancer in animals and humans, especially liver cancer. The IARC recommends limiting daily intake of the artificial sweetener to 40 mg/kg body weight. This would represent around a dozen cans of a sugar-free beverage for an adult weighing 70 kg.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What you need to know about the UK Diet Coke recall
Coca-Cola is recalling cans of several of its products across the UK after it confirmed some of its drinks were found to contain higher-than-normal levels of chlorate. The recall began earlier in the week as drinks were pulled from shelves in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands after testing revealed 'elevated levels' of the chemical. Long-term consumption of chlorate can have a significant impact on a person's health and only minimal trace amounts of it are allowed in products sold in the UK. On Tuesday, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said there had been a 'limited distribution to the UK' of Coca-Cola soft drinks containing higher levels of chlorate. Coca-Cola's bottling partner, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said the majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK, were not affected. It said that it tracked the problem back to one specific container used in its water treatment process at its factory in the city of Ghent while conducting routine safety checks. Here Yahoo News UK has compiled all you need to know about the recall All affected cans have the production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE, which can be found on the base of the can. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners said only a "small number" of their products have been recalled. They said: "The majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK are not impacted." The recall includes imported cans of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero, which were only sent to cafes and restaurants during a limited time period. Imported cans of 6x250ml Appletiser multipacks which were sent only to supermarkets in the UK have also been recalled. Chlorate is a by-product of the breakdown of chlorine-based sanitisers and chlorine chemicals, which are frequently used to sterilise water. In 2015, the European Food Safety Authority found that levels of chlorate in drinking water and foods were too high and could result in serious health effects, especially among infants and children. These included impaired functioning of the thyroid due to inhibition of iodine uptake. The chemical has been linked to potentially serious health problems, notably among children by interfering with the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Wednesday 29 January 2025 - Coca-Cola Europacific Partners recalls a small range of soft drinks as a precaution because of elevated levels of Chlorate #FoodAlert — Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) January 29, 2025 Experts say consumers would have to drink a lot of any product contaminated with chlorate to suffer vomiting or other serious illness. "It is almost non-existent or very unlikely that those large quantities are present in it," Philippe Jorens, a poisons and critical care professor at Antwerp University Hospital, told Belgian public broadcaster VTM. "You have to have consumed so many different bottles of it to possibly see an effect." Coca-Cola Europacific Partners 'Independent analysis concluded that the likelihood of any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low." Coca-Cola Europacific Partners apologised for the recall and urged anyone who had a contaminated can to contact them. They said: "For the reassurance of consumers, we encourage anyone with an affected can to please call our customer service team on 0800 227711 who will be able to help." What is chlorate? The chemical that has seen Coca-Cola and Fanta removed from shelves (WalesOnline)
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Coca-Cola recalls drinks in UK due to chemical levels
A range of Coca-Cola products are being recalled in the UK after the firm's bottling partner said it had identified "elevated levels" of a chemical called chlorate. Cans of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, and Sprite Zero sent to cafes and restaurants are being withdrawn as well as 6x250ml Appletiser multipacks sent to UK supermarkets. The announcement follows a larger recall of Coca-cola products across Europe on Tuesday. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, the firm's bottling partner, said the risk of illness was "very low". The affected cans carry production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE on their base. The majority of Coca-Cola products, including standard cans, and all glass and plastic bottles sold in the UK are not affected, the firm said. Chlorate can be produced when chlorine-based disinfectants are used in water treatment and food processing. Exposure to high levels of chlorate can cause health problems including thyroid problems, especially among children and infants. "Independent expert analysis concluded that any associated risk of feeling temporarily unwell from consuming these products is very low," the firms said. "The quality and safety of our products is our top priority and we're sorry that on this occasion, a small number of our products have not met our high standards, and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused," the firm said in a statement. Coca-Cola recalls drinks over safety concerns
BBC News
29-01-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Coca-Cola recalls drinks in UK due to chemical levels
A range of Coca-Cola products are being recalled in the UK after the firm's bottling partner said it had identified "elevated levels" of a chemical called of Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, and Sprite Zero sent to cafes and restaurants are being withdrawn as well as 6x250ml Appletiser multipacks sent to UK announcement follows a larger recall of Coca-cola products across Europe on Europacific Partners, the firm's bottling partner, said the risk of illness was "very low". Chlorate can be produced when chlorine-based disinfectants are used in water treatment and food affected cans carry production codes from 328 GE to 338 GE on their to high levels of chlorate can cause health problems including thyroid problems, especially among children and infants."Independent expert analysis concludes that any associated risk for consumers is very low," a spokesperson told the BBC."The quality and safety of our products is our top priority and we're sorry that on this occasion, a small number of our products have not met our high standards, and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused," the firm said in a statement.
