Coke supports WHO's sugar guidelines

Coke says it supports the World Health Organisation's guidelines for limiting added sugar, as the company works on repairing its image in public health circles and reshaping its business.

Incoming CEO James Quincey also said the company has "outgrown" its namesake cola and is focusing on becoming a "total beverage company". Speaking at an industry conference in Boca Raton, Florida, he noted other categories, such as bottled waters and teas, are growing more quickly than fizzy drinks globally.

In some cases, a Coke drink could still account for the entirety of a person's daily sugar intake under the WHO guidelines, which recommend people limit added sugar to 10 per cent of their total daily calories. For someone consuming an average of 2400 calories a day, a 20-ounce bottle of Coke - which has 65 grams of sugar and 240 calories - would use up that limit.

In recent years, however, Coke has increasingly touted its smaller cans and bottles that executives say help people with their desire for portion control.

To analysts, Coca-Cola also notes that such packages are more profitable and can increase how often Coke products are purchased. The company says such smaller packages now account for about 15 per cent of its carbonated drink transactions in North America.

Coca-Cola Company, based in Atlanta, has also said it's working on reformulating some drinks and more aggressively marketing options like Coke Zero to bring down its global "sugar footprint". It noted that people could drink several servings of its products and stay within the guidelines.