Promotions mean customers can buy four litres of coke for just 90p

Supermarket cola is now priced so cheaply that a serving containing the recommended daily sugar intake for a 10-year-old child can be bought for just 5p.

Despite mounting concerns over childhood obesity and diabetes, supermarkets are slashing prices on branded and own brand colas.

An investigation by The Sunday Times revealed that customers at Tesco and Morrisons were able to buy two bottles of cola - containing four litres together - for 90p.

Each two-litre bottle of cola contains a staggering 49 teaspoons of sugar.

Supermarket cola is now priced so cheaply that a serving containing the equivalent of the recommended daily sugar intake for a 10-year-old can be bought for as little as 5p (file pic)

This contrasts against the six teaspoons of sugar that a 10-year-old child is recommended for their entire daily intake - meaning that just a few gulps of the sugary drink can take them well over the limit.

Own supermarket brands also provided the recommended daily allowance for less than 5p.

Lidl Freeway Cola and Aldi Vive Cola were sold at 42p each for two litres, meaning the maximum sugar intake cost the equivalent of just 4.8p.

While supermarkets are keen to slash prices of cola and other fizzy drinks, bottled water costs far more per litre in contrast.

For example, a 1.5 litre bottle of HIghland Spring sparkling water costs 75p.

The price war on cola flies against recent health research which suggests that cutting the amount of sugar in sweetened drinks by 40% could prevent 300,000 cases of diabetes and one million cases of obesity.

Published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal, the research states that a reduction in sugar-sweetened beverages over five years could lead to 500,000 fewer cases of people being overweight, one million fewer cases of obesity, and 300,000 fewer instances of Type 2 diabetes, over two decades.

Cardiologist Aseem Malhotra, who is also the science director of campaign group Action on Sugar, told The Sunday Times' that supermarket promotion of fizzy drinks was 'scandalous.'

He said: 'This is quite scandalous. Supermarkets have a responsibility to give shoppers more healthy choices and should not be promoting cheap sugary drinks.

'This seems to be a clear example where private profit is trumping public health.'

Price war: As supermarkets vye for customers, last week saw Coca-Cola slashed to 90p for four litres

However Gavin Partington, director-general of the British Soft Drinks Association, suggested sugar is not the only thing to blame for rising levels of obesity.

He added that the industry had pledged to reduce the number of calories in soft drinks by 20 percent over the next five years.

Earlier this week, Mr Partington said: 'Sugar consumption in the UK has been declining for many years, particularly from soft drinks, as Government statistics testify, while levels of obesity increased.

'There is also no evidence that a tax on soft drinks would have an impact on obesity.

'The soft drinks tax in Mexico has reduced average calorie intake by just 6 calories a day and sales in France are back to pre-tax levels.

'By contrast, the soft drinks industry is taking practical steps to help consumers, through reformulation, smaller portion sizes and increased promotion of low- and no-calorie options - reducing sugar intake by 7.5% in recent years, and with plans to reduce calories by a further 20% by 2020.'

Latest research suggests a reduction in sugar-sweetened beverages over five years could lead to 500,000 fewer cases of people being overweight and 300,000 fewer instances of Type 2 diabetes, over two decades

Public Health England (PHE) backed stronger measures to control sugar content in drinks.

PHE chief nutritionist Alison Tedstone said: 'Sugary drinks are the biggest source of sugar in young people's diets.

'We believe a programme to reduce the sugar from the sweetest drinks - alongside other measures like controls on advertising and marketing - would lead to a significant drop in the amount of calories consumed.