Overview

• Authorities detailed the 2026 budget proposal raising the IEPS on flavored and sugar‑sweetened drinks to 3.0818 pesos per liter and applying it to beverages with non‑caloric sweeteners.
• México’s Health Ministry framed the step as a public‑health policy, citing per‑capita soda intake of about 166 liters a year and the burden of diabetes, heart disease and dialysis costs.
• Officials said the proceeds would support prevention campaigns, modernization of primary care, access to innovative treatments and expanded high‑specialty services, according to David Kershenobich and IMSS.
• The beverage industry (MexBeb) warned retail prices could rise 10–15 percent, risking closures of small ‘tienditas’ where sodas account for roughly 30 percent of sales and up to 150,000 job losses over five years.
• Debate has intensified over effectiveness and scope, with academics and business groups questioning health gains, flagging substitution and water‑access issues, and objecting to taxing low‑ and no‑calorie products considered safe by regulators.