Mexico restricts TV commercials for soft drinks

Anti-sugar campaigners watch out: with 70 percent of adults and 30 percent of children believed to be obese or overweight, the Mexican government has taken the extraordinary step to restrict television advertising hours for high-calorie food and soft drinks.

It was reported on 16 July 2014 that such ads will be banned with immediate effect on terrestrial and cable TV between 14:30 and 19:30 on weekdays and between 07:30 and 19:30 at weekends when most families sit in front of the box.

Restrictions will also be imposed on similar ads shown at the cinemas.

It is estimated that overall, 40 percent of commercials for soft drinks, confectionery and chocolates will disappear from TV.

Last year already, the Mexican government introduced taxes on high-calorie foods and drinks as part of its obesity prevention strategy.

However, with this new measure Mexico is going further than any other country in restricting advertising. The UK, Norway and the Quebec province in Canada have bans on advertising junk food in children’s television. However, these have not stopped the adverts appearing in more popular “family” programming, media say.

As an additional measure, from 2015, manufacturers will have to put the sugar, fat and saturated fat content on their food and drink labels.

Mexicans are amongst the world’s major consumers of sugary drinks, at 163 litres per capita/year, and their diet is rich in fried food.

Health experts estimate the nation’s weight problems will cost the public health care system USD 11.7 billion by 2017.