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A 64-ounce drink is displayed alongside other soft drink cup sizes at a news conference at City Hall in New York, May 31, 2012.ANDREW BURTON

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Restaurants, delis, food carts among small businesses affected

From restaurants to delis to food carts to arenas to stadiums to movie theatres, many businesses would be banned from selling super-sized soft drinks and other sugary drinks in New York under a plan by the Big Apple's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, according to these reports in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

The proposal to amend the city's health code would prohibit food-service establishments from selling sugary drinks in sizes larger than 16 ounces. People would, however, be allowed to buy multiple containers in smaller sizes and get refills.

It's an effort to help curb obesity that has already raised the ire of beverage makers and resurrected criticism that the mayor is turning the city into a "nanny state," the Journal article said.

But the proposal may also feel sour to many restaurateurs and other small businesses that are purveyors of the drinks. It would not, however, be applied at convenience and grocery stores, notes this piece in The San Francisco Chronicle. Nor would it apply to diet or unsweetened drinks with under 25 calories.

The proposal will be submitted to the Board of Health on June 12, the Journal reported. The proposal could take effect as soon as next March, the Times said.

It's the latest in a series of measures by the mayor related to public health, including regulations to ban smoking in restaurants and parks, prohibiting artificial transfat in restaurant food and requiring health inpection grading to be posted on restaurant windows, the Times story reported, which have led to the "nanny" accusations in the past.

For another Globe and Mail report, click here.

U.S. small business lending cools

Lending to U.S. small businesses cooled for the fourth month in a row, according to the latest Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index, which tracks overall loans to small businesses.

The index fell to 94.1 in April from 98.5 in March, as reported by Associated Press. It had been at 110.5 in December.

Compared with a year earlier. lending was up 7 per cent, but that was the lowest 12-month rate of growth since July, 2010, according to Reuters report.

"These businesses are cautious," said PayNet founder Bill Phelan in Reuters. "They're holding back on new investments and expansions in their businesses, and that's really a result of the view of uncertainty in the marketplace."

The Associated Press report also pointed to another finding of a lending slowdown by Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. and Pepperdine University. Their survey of nearly 6,000 companies in the first quarter found that 64 per cent of those with revenue under $5-million had difficulty obtaining financing , which was limiting their growth.

Twenty Canadians head to G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit

Twenty young entrepreneurs are headed to Mexico City to form the official Canadian delegation at the G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit (G20 YES), running June 2 to June 5.

They were selected by the Canadian Youth Business Foundation to take part in the third annual international summit to help come up with ways for governments and businesses to best harness young entrepreneurship.

EVENTS AND KEY DATES

Lean Startup Machine

The Lean Startup Machine Toronto workshop will take place from June 8 to June 10, aiming to help startups that want to learn lean startup methodologies. For more information, click here.

Technology Impact Awards

The Technology Impact Awards, celebrating the achievements of British Columbia's tech industry, take place June 14 in Vancouver. For more information, click here.



EDITOR'S PICKS FROM REPORT ON SMALL BUSINESS

MBA students offer bargain alternative to pricey consultants

Small businesses that can't afford big professional consulting firms increasingly turn to university business student consultant programs.

FROM THE ROSB ARCHIVES

Mentors for hire guide new businesses

Retired business professionals serve as guides for a growing number of small businesses, as this October, 2010, story recounted.

Got a tip on news, events or other timely information related to the small-business community? E-mail us at smallbusiness@globeandmail.com

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Tickers mentioned in this story

Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 28/03/24 4:15pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
AAPL-Q
Apple Inc
-1.06%171.48
DNB-N
Dun & Bradstreet Holdings Inc
+0.8%10.04
TRI-N
Thomson Reuters Corp
-0.08%155.83
TRI-T
Thomson Reuters Corp
-0.41%210.8

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