The consumer organization El Poder del Consumidor (EPC) filed a formal complaint with the Federal Commission for the Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris) requesting the suspension and cancellation of the “Coca-Cola Christmas Caravans”. The complaint is based on possible violations of the Regulation of the General Law on Health in Advertising Matters, specifically the use of elements aimed at minors in the promotion of products that carry warning seals. The organization argues that the caravans, described as a “large-scale Christmas show” with illuminated trucks, interactive games, and animated characters, constitute “one of the most persuasive advertising strategies aimed at childhood by appropriating and capturing powerful cultural symbols and values” associated with the consumption of the drink. The lawyer for El Poder del Consumidor, Javier Zúñiga, stated that this type of advertising is prohibited by law. “In accordance with article 24 bis of the Regulation of the General Law on Health in Advertising Matters, it is prohibited to use elements such as Santa Claus or animations in any product with warning seals or legends. For this reason, we filed a complaint with Cofepris, requesting precautionary measures, to cancel the Christmas Caravans for violating the regulation,” Zúñiga stated in the November 18, 2025, press release. The organization points out that the parades advertise products with warnings accompanied by elements aimed at children, such as “Santa Claus, polar bears, the Christmas tree, animations, among others”. El Poder del Consumidor emphasizes that although the company disguises the events as a “family Christmas parade,” it is a “penetrating, aggressive, and well-orchestrated” advertising strategy that seeks to “achieve greater consumption of its products, especially in girls, boys, and adolescents”. The coordinator of EPC, Liliana Bahena, linked this type of promotion to consumption patterns in the country. “It is no coincidence that in our country an average of 163 liters of soda are consumed per person per year, one of the highest in the world,” Bahena stated, attributing to scientific studies that the consumption of these products is the “cause of 40,000 deaths annually.” According to data cited by the organization, “more than 90% [of girls and boys] consume them habitually.” EPC also mentions that “various scientific studies confirm that consuming one can a day increases the probability of developing obesity by 60%.” For the above reasons, El Poder del Consumidor urges Cofepris to act, indicating that otherwise, it would be “allowing advertising acts to be carried out without the corresponding permission and despite the express prohibition of the Regulation of the General Law on Health in Advertising Matters.” Zúñiga also expressed concern about previous actions: “Since 2023, we have requested various authorities to cancel the Coca-Cola Caravans due to the legal violations they represent. However, the authorities have turned a blind eye, allowing the rights of children to be violated year after year,” he concluded.
