Dive Brief:
- The World Health Organization reversed its stance on coffee Wednesday, 25 years after declaring the beverage a possible carcinogen that could cause bladder cancer. The organization did heed warning against drinking very hot beverages, as they probably cause cancer — specifically of the esophagus — in humans.
- The announcement comes after WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer reviewed more than 1,000 studies that determined coffee has no conclusive carcinogenic effects related to bladder or other cancers. Instead, coffee has been shown to provide protective benefits that could potentially reduce the risk of liver and uterine cancers.
- Since 2011, global coffee consumption has increased by about 2.5% per year on average, according to the International Coffee Organization.
Dive Insight:
While the WHO's reclassification of coffee is certainly good news for coffee manufacturers, there isn't likely to be much financial impact. Despite coffee's link to bladder cancer, consumption has steadily risen worldwide. In the U.S., coffee is the most commonly consumed beverage, even more than tap water, according to the National Coffee Association. In 2015, Americans paid $74.2 billion for the drink.
If consumption increased even while the beverage was listed as a possible carcinogen, it's unlikely the WHO's announcement is going to encourage consumers to buy more coffee than they already do. If anything, the move seems to be more of a formality, as years' worth of research has already come to the same conclusion, and the coffee industry has continued to grow.
What could help coffee companies is WHO's link of coffee to preventive benefits that may reduce the risk of certain cancers. This offers coffee manufacturers more options for health benefits to promote on product packaging and marketing materials. It also better aligns coffee with the functional foods movement, wherein consumers want additional health benefits along with flavor and satiety.
This is also another example of how research and perceptions of health change over time and ultimately impact manufacturers. Food and beverage companies are facing similar changes with the shift in perceptions of fat and calories, which has caused significant declines in the diet food and beverage industry.