Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have suffered a setback in India with the news that the government is pushing for a partial ban on colas, soft drinks and junk foods in schools and universities. Ambumani Ramadoss, health minister, said colas, with or without pesticides, were harmful for health and it wanted to ban all forms of junk food such as pizzas, samosas, chips and burgers. The minister has written to his government counterparts requesting them to make plans for a partial ban on fizzy drinks and junk food because of rising levels of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Coca-Cola said the amount of soft drinks sold in educational establishments was “very low” and it offered a range of beverages. It had taken leadership in promoting active lifestyles in India, it said. Financial Times 16/12/06 page 6