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Soda Wars

By Colin Campbell 3/11 4:18pm

Soda Wars

(Photo: Getty)

Court Blocks ‘Administrative Leviathan’ Soda Cup Rule, Mayor Vows to Appeal

Earlier today, the state Supreme Court blocked New York City’s controversial attempt to ban large cups for sugary drinks in restaurants and other food establishments. The ruling, which you can view below, blasted the ban as “arbitrary and capricious,” ultimately creating “an administrative Leviathan.” The rules were scheduled to go into effect tomorrow.

“It is arbitrary and capricious because it applies to some but not all food establishments in the City, it excludes other beverages that have significantly higher concentrations of sugar sweeteners and/or calories on suspect grounds and the loopholes inherent in the Rule, including but not limited to no limitations on re-fills, defeat and/or serve to gut the purpose of the Rule,” Judge Milton Tingling ruled. Read More

By Colin Campbell 2:40pm

Soda Wars

(Photo: Getty)

Mayor Bloomberg Dismisses Latest Criticism of Big Beverage Ban

Over the weekend, the New York Post chronicled some of the more unexpected side effects of the city’s upcoming ban on large soda cup sizes at restaurants, including an end to 2-liter soda bottles with pizza deliveries. Although the Post‘s pizza-loving interviewees were dismayed by the rule, Mayor Michael Bloomberg strongly defended the beverage ban during a press conference today.

“When it comes to the pizza parlor, they cannot deliver more than 16 ounces in any one container. So if you want 32 ounces, they’ll deliver 2,” Mr. Bloomberg said, proceeding to tweak his questioner–the Post‘s David Seifman–over an earlier inquiry about the mayor’s new education initiative. “If you want 64 ounces, I’ll see whether your mathematical skills as a liberal arts major [are] adequate to be able to do that when I read your article.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 9/13/12 3:27pm

Soda Wars

(Photo: Getty)

City Approves Soda Cup Restrictions, Mayor Says It’s No Big Deal

Earlier this afternoon, the New York City Board of Health officially approved its plan to ban larger soda cup sizes at restaurants and concession stands, and, barring a successful lawsuit and a court order, the initiative will take effect in six months. And although a majority of the city’s residents disapprove of the move, at a press conference, a testy Mayor Bloomberg repeatedly told reporters the ban won’t be as controversial as it seems.

“I think it’s fair to say there’s no evidence that it will hurt their business,” he said about restaurants arguing the requirement will affect their bottom line. “Maybe outside of the limelight of newspaper or television camera, they would probably agree that down the road, what’s likely to happen here, what’s very likely to happen, is eventually they will just transition pretty much everything and change the public’s taste. Why? We cannot continue to have our kids come down with diabetes at age 6. If it was one of your children I think you’d be out there with a very different kind of question.” Read More

By David Freedlander 7/24/12 1:13pm

Soda Wars

(Photo: Getty)

In Advance of Soda Ban Hearing, Bloomberg Officials, Health Experts Make Their Case

Comparing soda to drugs, the soda industry to tobacco manufacturers, and the obesity epidemic to a virus that wipes out thousands of New Yorkers a year, members of the Bloomberg administration and their allies pushed back against opponents of a plan to limit the size of sodas that consumers can purchase.

“New York City has been hit by an epidemic. The epidemic of obesity kills by our best estimates some 5800 New Yorkers per year. Now, if a virus were killing 5,800 New Yorkers this year we would be clamoring for  a strong government action to stop it,” said Thomas Farley, the city’s health commissioner.

The comments were made before a Department of Health hearing about the proposed ban, and were to a  room of several dozen reporters from news outlets around the world. Read More

By David Freedlander 6/01/12 5:37pm

Soda Wars

on August 17, 2010 in New York, New York.

Stringer Heaps Praise On Bloomberg Soda Ban

Yesterday, we wrote about how the 2013 mayoral candidates slammed Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal to ban the sale of large size soda drinks at restaurants and concession stands.

We reached out to Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer, and his office told us that he was still evaluating the plan.

Today however Mr. Stringer told us that he is generally supportive of the proposal.

“I am very supportive of the mayor taking on the soda cartel,” he said. “We have to go out and win this battle.” Read More