Dive Brief:
- The American Beverage Association has sued the city of San Francisco over "new legislation requiring health warning labels on sugary beverages and prohibiting advertisements of them on city property violates the First Amendment," The San Francisco Chronicle reported. The lawsuit is not challenging a related ordinance that would ban city money being spent on sugary drinks.
- In June, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for sugary drink labels that would read, "WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay." The board also approved a ban on advertisements for sugary beverages on city-owned property, such as public parks and bus shelters.
- "The city is free to try to persuade consumers to share its opinions about sugar-sweetened beverages," the ABA's lawsuit says. "Instead, the city is trying to ensure that there is no free marketplace of ideas, but instead only a government-imposed, one-sided public ‘dialogue’ on the topic — in violation of the First Amendment."
Dive Insight:
As obesity rates continue to rise, consumers' and public health officials' concerns over sugar rise with them, as sugar has been named a culprit in widespread weight gain. Earlier this year, the WHO announced official recommendations that consumers should cut back their daily sugar intake to six to 12 teaspoons daily, down from the average rate of Americans' sugar consumption, 18 teaspoons per day.
Soda companies have already felt the effects of these rising concerns over daily sugar intake, as the industry's sales have tumbled for ten years straight.
Back in San Francisco, some are already taking steps to reduce consumption of sugary beverages before the mayor signs the ordinances into law. "Public health officials have also launched 'The Open Truth' campaign, placing ads on public transportation vehicles and stations throughout San Francisco warning consumers of the potential health risks associated with soda consumption," BevNet reported.
Last week, the FDA announced that it would officially suggest a required "percent daily value" of added sugar on food labels.