A judge in New York on Monday blocked city mayor Michael Bloomberg's planned ban on giant sodas, just a few hours before restrictions on the sale of such drinks were due to come into effect.
Judge Milton Tingling ruled that the measures to restrict soda servings to a maximum of 16 ounces (470 milliliters) in fast-food and other restaurants, was an "arbitrary" measure and he was barring the plan "permanently."
The decision is a defeat for Bloomberg, who had trumpeted the measure as an important step toward tackling obesity, AFP reported.
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