Political solutions:

the Mexican experience

WPHNA, September, 2014.

Capture of the Junk Food Cartel

Performance and video against child targeted marketing

May 2013

Campaign strategic planning

1.Expose

human

drama

2.Culprit

identification

3.Prese

nt

solution

s

Three essential campaign

steps

Pingo´s and academia: human rights,

children rights, right to water coallitions,

nutrition, consumers rights, farmers,

etc.

Coalition building: Create the Nutritional

Health Alliance with former and new allies

(diverse member base) and a shared,

comprehensive agenda on malnutrition

and obesity

Strainght the voice

Three fronts:

the Alliance,

lobby group and

Academy

Deaths by diabetesThe human drama

Total costs of obesity in Mexico (million pesos)

Reports/press

conferences

Demonstrations

«500 deaths in six years»in front the Health Ministery

Soda consumption

“FIRST CAME OBESITY, THEN DIABETES”

Campaign public spaces

Demonstrationslinking soda consumption and diabetes

The Coke Bear in front the Federal Comission on Health Risks

Earned campaign

Academia, PAHO, a legislators and PINGO’sfor a Soda Tax

Earned campaign«With the soda tax drinking fountains in all schools and public spaces»

(subway, buses, billboards, paid tv)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N60NOhMl5QQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N60NOhMl5QQ

Earned campaign

Don’t hurt yourself drinking SSB(subway, buses, billboards, pay tv)

Giving voice to experts

PAHO: the Mexican food

situation is «alarming»

“International Forum: Public policies against

obesity” (2013)

President presented a soda tax proposal to the CongressSept. 2013

President presented a National Strategy Against Obesityand Diabetes Oct. 2013

(includes: regulatory measures for food marketing to children and for a front-of pack labelling strategy)

SODA INDUSTRY REACTIONS

Industry campaigns

“Let’s talk about sugar”Launched by sugar cane producers

August 2013 “Know yourself, get balanced, get active”Launched by national soda association

August 2013

Paid inserts in national dailies

“We’ll all pay!” “No to the Bloomberg tax”

“Let’s be honest”

Engaging local storeowners

“This store and its clients say NO to

another soda tax”

“Combatting obesity with taxes is not the solution; No

taxes on chubby”

Creating consumer fronts

“Can you combat obesity with taxes? Yes or no on the tax on

chubby people?”

The Center for Consumer Freedom

Responses against the soda industry• The soda tax comes from experts

• IATSO supports the soda tax

Full pages in newspappers

THE WALL STREET JOURNALUS National newspaperDaily circulation:2,378,827

Another soda tax squabble

THE NEW YORK TIMES US national newspaper

Daily circulation:1,865,318

Mexico: Junk food tax is approved

BBC WORLDweekly audience of 192 million

Would a tax on sugary drinks make Mexico healthier?

The debate captured international media

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV

NEW PRESIDENTTAKES OFFICES

“12 SPOONFULS OF SUGAR”

CAMPAIGNS

“FIRST CAME OBESITY, THEN DIABETES”

“A HEALTHIER MEXICO”

“SUGARY DRINKS”

“WATER IS LIFE”

EARNED MEDIA

ALLIANCE BORN

THE MEXICAN SSB TAX TIMELINE

COALITION BUILDING

PEÑA NIETO ANNOUNCES SODA

TAX IN FISCAL REFORM

SSB TAX BILL INTRODUCED IN

SENATE – “TABLED” TIL FISCAL REFORM

KEY DIALOGUE WITH MINISTRY OF

FINANCE

CONGRESS IN SESSION

COLLECT SIGNATORIES TO SSB TAX BILL

INDUSTRYCAMPAIGNS

INTENSE LOBBYING

SSB TAX PASSED

CONGRESS IN SESSIONCONGRESS IN SESSION

ACADEMIA LAUNCH OF

POLICY RECOM’S

PRINT AD BATTLE IN THE

PRESS

EXPERT FORUMS

THE MEXICAN SUGARY DRINKS TAX

• Passed by Congress: October 31, 2013. Goes into effect: January 1, 2014.

• Type of tax: Specific excise tax (called a IEPS in Spanish).

• Amount of the tax: 1 peso (0.08 USD) per liter.

• Definition of SSBs under the new law: All drinks with added sugar, not including milks or yogurts, specifically: concentrates, powders, syrups, essences or extracts of flavors that when diluted allow one to obtain flavored drinks, and syrups or concentrates to prepare flavored drinks

• Effect on pricing: The average price of 1 liter of soda in Mexico is 9 pesos (0.68 USD); therefore, the tax will increase the price by a little over 10%.

• Expected reduction in consumption: 10 to 13%1

• Expected revenue: 12 billion pesos = approximately $900 million USD

• Earmark: Proposed by civil society but not backed by Ministry of Finance. Special bill passed through lower House and awaiting Senate vote to allocate 3.5 billion pesos ($270 million USD) to install water fountains in schools in 2014.

Sources: 1. Modeling carried out by National Institute of Public Health (INSP).

THE TAX ON “JUNK FOOD”

• Passed by Congress: October 31, 2013. Goes into effect: January 1, 2014.

• Type of tax: Ad valorem excise tax

• Amount of the tax: 8%.

• What is taxed? Foods with a high caloric density (i.e. equal to or more than 275 calories/100 grams). This is higher than the WHO reference to 125cal/100gr.

The list of products to be taxed include: chips and snacks; candies; chocolate and cacao based products; puddings; fruit-made and vegetable-made sweets; peanut and hazelnut butters; milk and caramel-based sweets; cereal-based products; ice-cream and ice-pops.

• Expected reduction in consumption: Unknown.

• Expected revenue: 8 billion pesos = approximately $600 million USD

• Earmark: No specific earmark was proposed or passed.

Soda tax impact on consumptionFirst trimester

Institute of Public Health and University of North Caroline:

Reduction of 10% in SSB consumption.

13% increase consumption of bottled water

7% increase of non-caloric sweetened beverages, mineral waterand unsweetened juices.

The battle continues:

«Kids» with the face of the president and the minister of finance standing in front of theNational Palace with a drinking fountain.Demonstration aimed to demand allocation of resources to provide water fountains toschools.

@elpoderdelc

@actuaporlasalud

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www.elpoderdelconsumidor.org

www.actuaporlasalud.org

More information:

http://www.elpoderdelconsumidor.org