Frequently asked questions

Q. How much sugar is in Panda drinks?

Although we don't add any sugar to Panda drinks, fruit juice naturally has some sugar in it. However, in the Panda range the amount of sugar is very low (0.5 gram per 100 mls). As you'll see on the nutrition panels on our bottles, this equals just 12 calories per bottle. For comparison, the recommended daily consumption for female adults is 2000 calories and 90 grams of sugar; for male adults this is higher at 2500 calories and 120 grams of sugar (Guidelines Daily Amounts).

Q. Do Panda drinks cause tooth decay?

Panda drinks do not directly cause tooth decay. However, as Panda drinks (like many other drinks and foods) contain a small amount of acid, we recommend that your child practices good oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing will ensure that the acid is removed from the enamel. Drinking with a straw will also help as this reduces the acid's contact with teeth.

Q. Soft drinks are often criticised for contributing to obesity - should children be stopped from drinking them?

Panda Pops, Spring and Still all contain about 12 calories per bottle. This is considerably lower than many other soft drinks, so you can be reassured about the amount of calories and sugar that your child is consuming.

Q. I've read articles that say cola drinks contain phosphoric acid that removes calcium from children's bones - is that true?

Most cola drinks do contain phosphoric acid. This is added to give a more metallic flavour, as opposed to the fruity taste of citric acid. There has been concern that the phosphorus may lower the body's absorption of calcium. Although this is widely disputed, we have decided to take the precautionary measure of removing it from our Panda Pops cola.

Q. What is Aspartame? And why did you remove it from your drinks?

Aspartame is an artificial, intense, sweetener. Artificial sweeteners are used to replace sugar. They provide the sweet taste that would have otherwise come from sugar, but without the calories. The Food Standards Agency regulates which artificial sweeteners can be used, and they have approved Aspartame for use.
There has, however, been a lot of negative press coverage about Aspartame and we are aware that some people would prefer not to consume it as a result. (We are also aware that some people may have a genetic condition that means that they cannot ingest Aspartame). Therefore, we have taken the decision to remove Aspartame from all Panda drinks.

For more information on Aspartame and other sweeteners visit:

www.britishsoftdrinks.com
www.food.gov.uk

Q. What happened to the Blue Raspberry flavour?

A delicious Panda Still Raspberry still exists but it's now healthier and tastier than before (and without the blue colour!). When we re-launched Panda we decided to make all our flavours as natural as possible. The Panda Pops Blue Raspberry contained artificial colours, so we had to remove the artificial blue colour and replace this with natural colours.

Q. What happened to the Strawberry Jelly and Ice Cream flavour?

The Strawberry Jelly and Ice Cream flavour was discontinued because it was not a natural flavour. As part of our Panda re-launch we decided that we would have no artificial colours or flavours, making our range healthier.