College Student Protests Kick Big Soda Off Campus

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Students at San Francisco Stat University (SF State) helped their president Les Wong change his view of big soda and hold off on buying into a partnership with Coke or Pepsi.

The deal was for pouring rights, which allow big soda to pay for the rights to advertise, market, and sell their products on school grounds and events. Most of these rights include millions of dollars of funding towards the school, but also allow unlimited marketing in various ways on school grounds.

Many public school districts have entered into these “pouring rights” deals in efforts to support different school needs, even in elementary and high schools.

Pouring rights deals allow the beverage company to advertise on all school billboards, athletic facilities, websites, the student union, and allow big soda to sell branded items at sporting events and sponsor high-profile events. Not to mention a right to have product sampling events on campus and soda company-named scholarships.

Standing up against big soda, students from SF State worked with Open Truth and are starting a movement on other campuses as well. Other students have now reached out to SF students as they too are fired up about pouring right contracts at their schools, and also wanting to say no to big soda funding.

Latino students are more at risk for obesity and diabetes, where consumption of sugary drinks only leads to an increased risk of obesity. San Francisco is taking action with passed legislation on warning labels for soda, but still working towards soda tax proposals.

The young Latino generations are ready to live healthier lives, and are not afraid to stand up and say no to big money when big soda still stamps its message on funding.

To learn more about sugary beverages and how it impacts Latino youth, click here.