Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

Food

Big Soda Not Happy About Bloomberg's Food Stamp Soda Ban

Jaya Saxena

Published Apr 30, 2011

Modified Apr 30, 2011

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Jaya Saxena

Published Apr 30, 2011

Modified Apr 30, 2011

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Even though Bloomberg's proposed ban on buying sodas and sugary drinks with food stamps may not even happen because the USDA lacks the authority to approve such a change, soft drink companies are fighting the proposal just in case. Food and beverage lobbyists have accused Bloomberg of everything from ignorance to discrimination for the plan. Kevin W. Keane, senior vice president of the American Beverage Association, told the Times, “Once you start going into grocery carts, deciding what people can or cannot buy, where do you stop?” Clearly, he's not familiar with how Michael "Deal With It" Bloomberg operates.

With one in five New Yorkers on food stamps, a rule like this could significantly curb soda sales in the city, and could possibly open up government regulation on "good" and "bad" foods. The city is currently seeking permission from the Agriculture Department to test the proposal in a "two-year project," and Bloomberg said, “This initiative will give New York families more money to spend on foods and drinks that provide real nourishment." Like diet soda! The city has already runs an ad campaign linking soda consumption to obesity, and now the FTC recently introduced for comment a "set of proposed voluntary principles that can be used by industry as a guide for marketing food to children." “Children are strongly influenced by the foods they see advertised on television and elsewhere. Creating a food marketing environment that supports, rather than undermines, the efforts of parents to encourage healthy eating among children will have a significant impact on reducing the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Officials estimate that $75 million to $135 million of New Yorks food stamp benefits are spent on sodas or sugary drinks. Prof. Kelly D. Brownell, director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, said, "The government spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year buying beverages that have been linked to risks for obesity and diabetes. These conditions cost the government and taxpayers billions of dollars a year in costs paid by Medicaid and Medicare."

Tagged

food stamps

soda

sugary drinks

Jaya Saxena

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE food

Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.

The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.

Hannah Frishberg

Published Oct 19, 2026

North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.

Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.

Robert Sietsema

Food

North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.

Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.

Robert Sietsema

10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City

Robert Sietsema

Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.

Sonia Rao

5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's

Hannah Frishberg

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .