• Ad Age, Wednesday, March 3, 2010 10:36 AM

The Alliance for a Healthier New York is running ads urging New Yorkers to support a proposed sugar tax with the sentiment that "for just a few extra pennies we can reduce obesity, diabetes and heart disease and stop devastating health-care cuts in Albany," Natalie Zmuda reports.

The American Beverage Association is countering with TV, print and radio ads that point out that the tax would be a burden on consumers. Some ads claims that the price of beverage products would go up by 50%; in a TV spot, the owner of a Bronx supermarket talks about how his customers are already on a budget and can't afford an additional tax.

The proposed tax amounts to about 1 cent per ounce on beverages that contain more than 10 calories per eight ounces, including soda, flavored water, sports drinks, bottled coffee or tea, and fruit or vegetable drinks with less than 70% natural juice. More than half of Americans oppose a tax on beverages, according to Consumer Edge Research, while 24% have no opinion and 25% support it.

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