-"Add value to your life."; New Initiative in Which Fasting Is Charity,

Adding a Little Something Nice to Your Usual Self-improvement Activities-

Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage Ltd. has been working since Carbonated Water Day (April 8) in 2015 with Gerolsteiner, the German naturally carbonated mineral water, and the face of the campaign, Jessica Michibata, to spread awareness of a new kind of fasting habit for health and beauty. In 2016, aiming to support more women with their health and beauty, the company will start the (#fastingcharity) project, a completely new initiative combining fasting and charity, with the cooperation of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The project will start on April 8, 2016.

(Image: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M103766/201604089641/_prw_OI3fl_an08eu3n.jpg)

Currently, a large number of women in developed countries are restricting the food they eat through means such as fasting or going on a diet. Of all women surveyed, over 80% said they have experienced going on a diet (*1). On the other hand, we are in a situation where nearly 500 million women in developing countries have trouble finding enough food to eat. In the (#fastingcharity) project, the food that people do not eat when they fast will be sent to women in the Middle East and Africa.

These are the main three features of the (#fastingcharity) project:

(1) Donations to developing countries

Every time you post a picture of yourself fasting using Gerolsteiner on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag (#fastingcharity), the amount of food for the meal you have substituted will be donated to the WFP to support women in developing countries.

(2) Product advertising

A selection of the best hashtagged posts will be shown on a special webpage (http://fasting.pokkasapporo-fb.jp/en/) with chosen participants becoming additional faces of the Gerolsteiner campaign featuring alongside the already participating celebrities such as Jessica Michibata, Hinano Yoshikawa, Mayumi Sada and Kozue Akimoto on promotional bottle neckers.

(3) "#fastingcharity Report" to announce the status of donations to the WFP

Information from the WFP on the donation status of the (#fastingcharity) project will be regularly updated on a special webpage (http://fasting.pokkasapporo-fb.jp/en/). You will be able to see the progress of donations obtained via #fastingcharity (showing how many meals have been sent), the regions to which the donations have been sent (the Middle East and Africa), and how the food #fastingcharity participants have not eaten is being given to women around the world.

Background to the #fastingcharity project:

(1) 80% of women feel it necessary to go on a diet

According to the results of a survey on women that asked them about their diets, about 80% thought a diet was necessary (definitely necessary: 45%; probably necessary: 33%). And 80% have experienced going on a diet (currently on a diet: 32%; on a diet in the past: 48%) (*1).

(*1): Source: "CT research No. 4 -- Attitude survey on diet (weight loss)" by Clinical Trial Co.

(Documentation1: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M103766/201604089641/_prw_OI4im_m5H8zddJ.png)

(2) Over 60% of women are interested in volunteer activities

According to a Cabinet Office survey on social contribution, 60% of women are interested in volunteer activities (very interested: 11.1%; slightly interested: 54.1%) (*2).

(*2): Source: Cabinet Office NPO's "2014 Survey on the Social Contribution of Citizens"

We are offering women the new experience of a "Fasting Charity" project, in which they will be able to participate in social contribution activities just by fasting with Gerolsteiner.

(Documentation2: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M103766/201604089641/_prw_OI5im_273w4F8G.png)

What is Gerolsteiner?

Gerolsteiner is Germany's most commonly drunk naturally carbonated water (*3) with zero calories and a history of more than 120 years. Though it is very hard water (1,310 mg/L), it is easy to drink and has a good, balanced taste. In addition, it also contains natural minerals such as calcium and magnesium, and so it is also recommended for busy people and people on a diet who tend to suffer from a mineral deficiency.

(*3): Source: 2012 research by Nielsen

What is fasting?

Fasting is done to maintain health and beauty through dietary restrictions while carefully taking in water and minerals. However, if you put excessive dietary restrictions on yourself or do not take in enough water, you will end up in fact harming your health. When fasting, you are recommended to drink naturally carbonated water such as Gerolsteiner, which is rich in minerals such as calcium and magnesium that the human body needs and which can also ameliorate any feelings of hunger. Be sure to eat well-balanced meals like those recommended by Jessica Michibata on the special Gerolsteiner webpage, made under the supervision of Prof. Kobayashi from Juntendo University School of Medicine.