Teen's Petition Convinces Coke to Remove Flame Retardant From Products Powerade lovers decided they were tired of sipping on a chemical banned in the EU. Now, Coke is listening.

By Kate Taylor

Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.

Powerade lovers decided they were tired of sipping on flame retardant. Now, Coca-Cola is taking note.

Coca-Cola announced this week that it is working to remove brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, from all of its beverages. While Coke has stood by the safety of the ingredient, which distributes flavors more evenly in fruit-flavored drinks such as Powerade, the ingredient has been patented as a flame retardant and is not approved for use in the EU or Japan.

The ban comes on the heels of an online Change.org petitions started by Mississippian teenager Sarah Kavanagh. The petition, which focused on the removal of BVO from Powerade, garnered over 50,000 signatures.

Related: 'Gluten-Free' and 'Sustainable' Take Over Menus as New Healthy Buzzwords

"If they sell [Powerade] overseas without BVO, why risk my health and my friends' health?" asked Kavanagh in the petition.

Kavanagh's campaign to force Coke to cut BVO from Powerade followed her successful effort to convince PepsiCo to cut the chemical from Gatorade. While Pepsi complied last year, BVO continues to be used as an ingredient in PepsiCo's Mountain Dew and Amp.

Stripping BVO from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo products is just the most recent in a line of petition-induced industry changes. Earlier this year, health blogger Vani Hari's popular petitions helped convince Chick-fil-A to switch to antibiotics free chicken and Subway remove chemicals from its bread. As "sustainable" and "organic" become go-to buzzwords across the food industry, chains have to pay more attention to customers' growing appetite for food minus the chemicals.

Related: How This Food Blogger Convinced Chick-fil-A to Go Antibiotics Free

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at BIZ Experiences. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Science & Technology

OpenAI's Latest Move Is a Game Changer — Here's How Smart Solopreneurs Are Turning It Into Profit

OpenAI's latest AI tool acts like a full-time assistant, helping solopreneurs save time, find leads and grow their business without hiring.

Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

Starting a Business

I Built a $20 Million Company by Age 22 While Still in College. Here's How I Did It and What I Learned Along the Way.

Wealth-building in your early twenties isn't about playing it safe; it's about exploiting the one time in life when having nothing to lose gives you everything to gain.

Money & Finance

These Are the Expected Retirement Ages By Generation, From Gen Z to Boomers — and the Average Savings Anticipated. How Do Yours Compare?

Many Americans say inflation prevents them from saving enough and fear they won't reach their financial goals.

Business Solutions

Boost Team Productivity and Security With Windows 11 Pro, Now $15 for Life

Ideal for BIZ Experiencess and small-business owners who are looking to streamline their PC setup.