Profile of consumption and cost of usual and recommended drinks in Mexico, 2012-2018

The aim of this study was to measure and compare the inflationary behavior of the Usual Drinks Intake cost and the Recommended Drinks Intake Jar cost for the Mexican population. Based on information about the consumption of drinks in adults (National Health and Nutrition Survey) and of the average monthly prices (National Institute for Statistic and Geography) for each specific drink during January 2012-June 2017, we calculate consumption costs and inflation of usual and recommended drink intakes. The cost of the recommended drinks is consistently higher than the usual drinks cost. Inflation rates are similar in both drink intakes except in 2014, when the tax to sugary drinks was implemented. Prices and inflation of sugary drinks and usual drinks respond less than proportionally. A higher inflation of recommended drink costs compared to the usual drinks inflation could increase the demand for usual drinks. The behavior of inflation reveals that the tax to sugary drinks can be effective, but transitory.