Pressure on Pasifika Festival in Auckland to ban sugary drinks

Thursday, 23 March 2017

The Pasifika Festival is expected to draw 60,000 people to Western Springs on Saturday and Sunday.

Pressure is mounting on the organisers of Pasifika Festival to ban the sale of sugary drinks.

The Dental Association is joining calls for the beverages to be done away with at the Auckland event, held this weekend, which would put it in line with other cultural events like Polyfest and Te Matatini.

Association spokesman Dr Rob Beaglehole said the Auckland Council needed to 'step up' and follow the lead of other local authorities, such as Nelson City Council and Marlborough District Council, which have adopted a sugary drink-free policy at events.

'We think all council-run events across the country should adopt a 'water only' policy,' Beaglehole said. 'We're hoping other councils realise they should not be selling these products to consumers.'

A spokesperson for the event's organiser, Orange Productions, said it is 'working towards a sugar-free festival,' and has 'strongly encouraged food stall holders to only stock low or 'no sugar' drinks.'

FIZZ (Fighting Sugar in Soft-drinks) founder and spokesman Dr Gerhard Sundborn, who initially called for a ban, is welcoming the move.

'It is a start and will at least introduce stallholders to the idea of moving to no sugar drinks in the future,' Sundborn said.

'I don't think it will create a huge change at this year's festival, but it is an important incremental step towards Pasifika Festival becoming sugary drink free in the next few years - hopefully next year.'

FIZZ, a public health advocacy group, will have a stall at the festival.

The 25th annual Pasifika Festival will be held at Western Springs on Saturday and Sunday, with more than 60,000 visitors expected over the two days.

It is presented by ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development), which is an Auckland Council organisation.