Coca-Cola is facing another controversy after a consumer rights organization accused the company of unethical marketing practices.

What's happening?

El Poder del Consumidor, a nonprofit consumer rights organization in Mexico, filed a complaint against beverage company Coca-Cola as its "Christmas Caravans [violate] the Regulations of the General Health Law on Advertising," according to Mexico Solidarity.

The organization is requesting that the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks suspend Coca-Cola's Christmas Caravan parade, as its child-targeted advertisements are prohibited under Article 24.

Article 24 demands that "no product bearing warning labels or warnings may include images or elements aimed at children in its advertising, such as cartoon characters, animations, celebrities, or mascots," per Mexico Solidarity.

Coca-Cola's Christmas Caravan and other marketing use imagery such as Santa Claus and polar bears in advertisements.

A lawyer with the organization, Javier Zúñiga, firmly believes that "this type of advertising is prohibited by law."

Zúñiga added, "Since 2023, we have requested that various authorities cancel the Coca-Cola Caravans due to the violations of the law they represent. However, the authorities have ignored these requests, allowing children's rights to be violated year after year."

It's not the first time Coca-Cola has been in trouble — the company frequently comes under fire for its environmental impact, water usage, and AI-generated marketing. 

Why is this complaint important?

Marketing strategies of this kind can be particularly exploitative, especially toward children. 

Studies have found that similar practices for products like soda, ultra-processed foods, and salty snacks encourage unhealthy consumption habits, which are linked to noncommunicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, and even cancer.

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COFEPRIS must review the complaint and determine whether Coca-Cola is abiding by the proper regulations. The result of this complaint could set a precedent for similar situations.

In the age of the internet, advertising is everywhere and integrated into nearly every online experience. Posts, videos, articles, games, streaming services, search results, and even fortune cookies are constantly feeding advertisements — often personalized — to consumers.

With children aged 8 to 18 spending nearly 8 hours a day watching or using screens on average, per the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, they're constantly exposed and especially vulnerable to stealth marketing. 

According to the World Health Organization, "Children see as many as 30,000 advertisements on TV alone in a single year."

What's being done to protect children from unethical advertising?

Article 24 is in place to do just that, but it means nothing if companies aren't strictly held to it. 

Many organizations — and even entire cities — are standing up to ultra-processed food and drink companies. 

San Francisco, on behalf of the State of California, sued food and drink manufacturers Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz Company, and several others for knowingly distributingunhealthy products. 

To stay healthy, limit your consumption of ultra-processed foods. Simple diet swaps can have huge benefits, like improved overall health and a lower risk of diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

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