Theaters To Challenge New York Ban On Super-Sized Sugary Drinks

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is going to do for sugary drinks what he did for smoking early on in his tenure, though movie theaters in the city are ready to take on his honor's plans to keep audiences from slurping too much sugary fizz while sitting in front of a screen. The new regulation, which won the support of NYC's board of health, will ban calorie-soaked sugary drinks such as sodas from being sold in theaters, concession stands, cafeterias and restaurants larger than 16 ounces. The ban comes in the wake of the city's past public health initiatives which outlawed smoking in bars, offices and some public areas. It has also banned trans fats and has forced fast-food restaurants to list calorie counts on their menus.

The new regulation, if it stands, will take effect on March 12th next year. Supermarkets and convenience stores will still be able to sell super-sized drinks. Diet drinks, alcohol and fruit juices are not affected by the new policy. But theaters and other groups are going to challenge the new regulation. Cinemas reap about 25% of their revenues from sweets and drinks in the U.S.

Robert Sunshine, a spokesperson for the National Association of Theater Owners said his organization is "opposed to anyone telling us what we can eat and what we can drink," he said according to The Guardian via Deadline. "Somewhere along the line, the profit will have to be made up. It's going to have a tremendous impact."

Bloomberg, however, counters that the measure is necessary to stem the obesity plague and said that the ban will even help beyond the city limits. "This is the biggest step a city has taken to curb obesity," he said. "Simply by proposing limits on sugary drinks, New York City has pushed the issue of obesity - and the impact of sugary beverages - onto the national stage."

New York was one of the first states to ban smoking in public places indoors in 2003, after California. It has since extended the ban to some public places outdoors including beaches and parks.

[Source: The Guardian]