T.N. traders not to sell soft drinks, mineral water brands made by MNCs

The whole of February will be spent on educating traders and consumers about these foreign brands, says traders' body chief.

From March 1, traders in Tamil Nadu will not sell popular soft drinks and mineral water brands of multinational companies. They will instead encourage Indian brands.

Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaipu president A.M. Vikramaraja said the whole of February would be spent on educating traders and consumers about the evils of these foreign brands.

“They cause more harm than good to the body. Only recently, one of the brands admitted to the fact that it was not suitable for children and that it contained certain harmful chemicals,” he said.

Though the association, which has as many as 6,000 affiliated member associations and 15.87 lakh members, was fighting Kinley and Pepsico from 1998, they were unable to stop selling them as there was demand from consumers.

“During the recent protest by students demanding conduct of jallikattu, youngsters sought a ban on these soft drinks as they draw our groundwater and take the profits outside the country. Encouraged by that, we are taking this campaign forward,” he said.

The ''Peramaipu'' would also ask restaurants and hotels to not sell these brands.

At the general body meeting of the ''Peramaipu'' in Villupuram on Tuesday, it was also decided to hold the annual meeting in the city on May 5.

S.A. Ponnusamy of the Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers Employees Welfare Association said they would not sell milk manufactured by a particular MNC. A hotelier said he would move to Indian brands.