Dash Water co-founder Jack Scott has joined calls supporting a petition to ban controversial artificial sweetener aspartame across Europe, calling the campaign “a refreshing spark of hope”.

The petition from health app Yuka, which urges the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to implement a ban across 11 countries, went live yesterday (4 February) and has since received 40,000 signatures.

Scott said the potential ban marks a “crucial moment for leaders to push for greater transparency” as well as moving away from “overly processed, artificial solutions” for natural alternatives.

The sparkling water fruit-infused brand‘s co-founder said: “With 10,000 signatures in just its first morning, it’s clear that consumers are waking up to the risks of artificial sweeteners – something smaller, disruptive brands like Dash have been calling out for years, only to be drowned out by the dominance of big soft drinks companies.

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“Despite being marketed as “guilt-free,” artificial sweeteners are far from harmless. The World Health Organisation has issued repeated warnings about their potential health risks, yet these concerns have been largely brushed aside – until now.

“The overwhelming public support for Yuka’s petition signals a growing frustration with big brands obscuring the truth about what’s really in our drinks. Now, it’s time for policymakers to step up.”

Scott’s comments come after Dash recently spoke out against Coca-Cola in a marketing stunt, designed to shine a light on the use of artificial sweeteners in soft drinks.