Do US-based university pouring rights contracts with beverage companies include provisions that promote environmental sustainability?
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sustainability-related provisions in pouring rights contracts between universities and beverage companies and assess differences by company. We conducted this cross-sectional study from 2019 to 2020. We submitted contract requests to public universities in the United States under public records laws. We coded pouring rights contracts for 4 types of provisions: 1) payments to universities for sustainability efforts; 2) provision of recycling bins to universities; 3) provision of energy-efficient equipment to universities; and 4) other sustainability provisions. We used Fisher's exact test to assess differences in likelihood of having any sustainability-related provisions and Cochran-Armitage trend tests to assess differences in the number of sustainability-related provisions between contracts with Coca-Cola versus Pepsi. We received 131 contracts from universities in 38 states. Of the 131 contracts, 81 (61.8 %) contained at least one of the 4 sustainability provisions (36 Coca-Cola; 45 Pepsi); one contract contained all 4. There were no differences in the total number of sustainability provisions by Coca-Cola versus Pepsi ( p = 0.13). Pepsi contracts were more likely to require payments for general sustainability efforts (OR 4.21; CI 1.91–9.26; p < 0.001). We did not observe any differences in the provision of recycling bins (OR 0.44; CI 0.14–1.35; p = 0.18), requiring energy-efficient equipment (OR 0.82; CI 0.28–2.40; p = 0.79), or having other sustainability provisions (OR 1.15; CI 0.55–2.39; p = 0.71). Over one third of Coca-Cola and Pepsi university pouring rights contracts did not have any sustainability-related provisions, representing a missed opportunity to support university sustainability initiatives. • Pouring rights contracts may impact campus environmental and sustainability efforts. • We coded for 4 sustainability provisions in US university pouring rights contracts. • Of the 131 contracts from 38 states – just one contract contained all 4 provisions. • Of contracts, 61.8 % contained at least one provision (36 Coca-Cola, 45 Pepsi). • Over 1/3 had no provisions, which is a missed opportunity to support sustainability.
Source: Preventive Medicine Reports
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,610
Funders: George Mason University, Georgia Southern University, Purdue University, City University of New York, Clemson University, Florida State University, Wayne State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University, Oklahoma State University, Portland State University, San Diego State University, Texas Tech University, Weber State University, Western Michigan University, Colorado State University, University of Minnesota, Mississippi State University, Arizona State University, Auburn University, Washington State University, Florida International University, North Carolina State University, Michigan State University, University of Connecticut, University of Washington, University of Central Florida, University of Oklahoma, University of Cincinnati, Grand Valley State University, James Madison University, Louisiana State University, Ball State University, East Carolina University, Georgia State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Central Michigan University, Florida Atlantic University, University of Akron, Texas State University, Northern Arizona University, University of South Carolina, University of South Florida, Iowa State University, Western Kentucky University, Oregon State University, Kennesaw State University, Towson University, Kent State University, Montclair State University, Illinois State University, University of Oregon, University of Memphis, Universidad del Atlántico, Eastern Michigan University, Utah Valley University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, Hunter College, University of Colorado Boulder
OpenAlex ID: W4407481671