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The Coca-Cola Christmas truck has been told it's not welcome in one UK county by a leading health boss.
The festive lorry kicked off its tour on November 23 in Glasgow and has since been spotted in various UK towns including Edinburgh, Gateshead, Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool. It is unclear where the truck will end up, but it has been told to stay out of Cumbria after its director of public health, Colin Cox, said the sugary drink was "without a doubt" part of the region's childhood obesity problem.
Mr Cox said he "stands by" comments made in 2017 when he lambasted the company's use of the festive season to promote the fizzy beverage. Speaking to CumbriaLive, he said: "Coca Cola is exceptionally good at marketing and the Coca-Cola Christmas truck is just one of their many marketing tools. They’re trying to associate sugar syrup, which is what Coca Cola is, with happy, festive times in peoples’ heads.
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"We have an extremely high rate of childhood obesity and sugary drinks are, without a doubt, part of that issue. So, I stand by what I said back in 2017, I do not want to see the Coca Cola Christmas truck in Cumberland this Christmas."
Mr Cox originally voiced his concerns in an open letter penned alongside the leader of Cumbria County Council Stewart Young. In it the pair declared the big red truck would not be welcome in their county.
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The health boss has reiterated they do not want the van in the northern English region this year, or in future. Despite the plea, however, some families living in the county don't seem to agree.
In previous years when the van has made appearances in Carlisle or Penrith, hundreds of families have made the journey to see the iconic red truck for themselves. Those who managed to catch a glimpse were even rewarded with free samples.
The truck first appeared in Coca-Cola's "Holidays Are Coming" advert some 26 years ago before becoming a highlight of the festive season in real life.
Organisers typically keep quiet about the lorry's planned route prior to its arrival.
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- Christmas
- Coca-Cola
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