The new soda ban that will be in effect in March is proving to be a hassle for soft drink makers and restaurants.
According to NacsOnline.com, New York City Mayor Bloomberg's "simple fix" to reduce drink sizes to lower obesity is "far more complicated than advertised to businesses that must comply with the law."
When the ban on soda larger than 16 ounces goes into effect in March, soft drink manufacturers and restaurants have to already have their solution to what most New Yorkers (60 percent) are against, according to summer polls.
The ban forbids restaurants, food carts, and movie theaters from selling large soft drinks, but other retailers without prepared food, such as convenience stores, can still sell the larger sizes.
"What we're hoping to avoid is prolonged uncertainty for the affected businesses," Caroline Starke, plaintiff spokeswoman, said. Restaurant and beverage industries filed a lawsuit to stop the ban from taking place in October. Last week, their attorneys said businesses needed more than three months to "retool" their operations if the ban is upheld, Nacsonline.com. The ban would trigger many logistical challenges, from reconfiguring factory machinery to different ways to distribute the products, said Starke.
"It's simply in everyone's interest to get this resolved sooner rather than later," said Gabriel Taussig, a city attorney, according to Reuters.
There might be a solution to fatty sodas in New York and everywhere else.
According to the Daily Mail, Pepsi recently introduced a new drink called Pepsi Special to its Japanese market. Pepsi claims that its special soda acts as a fat blocker. Its made with dextrin, an indigestible form of dietary fibre. Studies on rats suggest this can reduce the absorption of fat in the body and lower cholesterol levels.
A Pepsi spokesperson said that it would have a "crisp refreshing and unique" aftertaste.
The drink will first be sold in Japan and comes in a "luxury" gold and black bottle with the Pepsi logo emblazoned on the side. Suntory International will distribute it.
Sue Baic, a spokesperson from the British Dietetic Association, was skeptical about Pepsi Special's health claims.
"I think this drink is unlikely to make much difference to how much fat you absorb," she said. "I can't see any studies that shows dextrin works in people. Even if it has an effect on rats that doesn't mean it will translate into humans.
"I suggest a higher fiber diet with fruit, vegetables and whole grains would be a better way to fill you up and make you feel less hungry. Plus then you would get the benefits of all the vitamins and minerals as well."
What do you think of the soda ban? Sound off below!
