June 4, 2012
6/4: Put Sugary Drink Ban on Ice…Ban Goes Too Far, Says Majority
NY1/Marist New York City Poll
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg caused a stir last week when he proposed the ban of sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces in establishments other than grocery and convenience stores. What do New York City residents think about the proposal? 53% of adults in the Big Apple believe it’s a bad idea while 42% say it is a good one. Six percent are unsure.
Click Here for Complete June 4, 2012 NYC NY1-Marist Poll Release and Tables
“Unfortunately for Mayor Bloomberg, New Yorkers find the glass to be half empty on his proposal to ban super-size drinks,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.
By borough, the proposal is poorly received among residents in Queens and Staten Island and in Brooklyn. 58% of adults in Queens and Staten Island and 55% of those in Brooklyn say the ban is a bad idea. However, 52% of Manhattan residents think the proposal is a good one. In the Bronx, 49% say the plan is a bad idea while 44% think it’s a good one.
Even a majority of New Yorkers who want to lose weight — 51% — think the restriction is not a good idea.
And, while 42% of New York City adults report the idea is good health policy to fight the problem of obesity, 53% believe Bloomberg’s plan is an example of government going too far. Five percent are unsure.
Many New Yorkers think there’s little point to the ban. 52% state the proposal won’t help people watch their weight. 45% disagree and say it will, and 3% are unsure.
The proposal made quite a splash. 67% have seen or heard about it including 39% who have heard a great deal about it and 28% who know a good amount. 16% haven’t heard or seen very much about the plan, and 17% know nothing at all about it.
When it comes to New Yorkers’ own drinking habits, the ban would affect less than one in five adults. Just 17% of residents say they purchase a beverage larger than 16 ounces when they go out to eat, to the movies, or to a sporting event. This includes 6% who report they do so very often and 11% who say they often do. 31% state it’s rare they make such a purchase, and 52% say they never buy super-size drinks. Not surprisingly, 64% of those who purchase these large drinks think the mayor’s proposed ban is a bad idea.
Table: Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Proposed Ban on Sugary Drinks in NYC
Table: NYC Sugary Drink Ban: Good Health Policy or Goes Too Far?
Table: Impact of Proposed Sugary Drink Ban on People’s Weight
Table: Aware of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Proposed Ban on Sugary Drinks in NYC
Table: Frequency of Buying a Drink Larger than 16 Ounces
Bloomberg Approval Rating at 45%
45% of registered voters in New York City believe Mayor Bloomberg is doing either an excellent or good job in office. This includes 9% who say he is doing an excellent one and 36% who report he is doing a good one. 29% rate Bloomberg’s job performance as fair while 20% think he is performing poorly. Six percent are unsure.
When NY1-Marist last asked this question in April, 44% gave the mayor high marks. 33% said he was doing an average job while 22% believed he fell short. Only 1%, at the time, was unsure.
By borough:
- Among voters in the Bronx, 36% approve of Bloomberg’s job performance. This compares with 33% who thought this way in April.
- In Brooklyn, 42% praise the mayor while a similar proportion — 46% — previously gave Bloomberg a thumbs-up.
- 48% of registered voters in Queens and Staten Island believe the mayor is doing an excellent or good job in office while 44% had this opinion in April.
- Looking at Manhattan, 50% approve of Mayor Bloomberg’s job performance. This compares with 51% who shared this view in NY1-Marist’s April survey.
Table: Mayor Michael Bloomberg Approval Rating
Table: Mayor Michael Bloomberg Approval Rating Over Time
Click on the graph to enlarge the image.