To curb rising obesity rates, France has passed a new law barring restaurants from giving customers refills on sugary drinks—though the practice of offering free refills from self-service soda fountains has been uncommon throughout the country. SODA TAX MEASURES PASS IN 4 US CITIESThe ban on free refills is part of an all-encompassing new public health law passed a year ago. Last year, the country’s Health Minister Marisol Touraine explained she wanted to prevent the free-refill policies common in other countries from spreading to France. Though France has some of the lowest obesity and overweight rates among developed countries, statistics show the numbers have been steadily increasing. And in 2011, the country passed a law mandating that school cafeterias only be permitted to serve french fries once a week.

Source: Fox News January 31, 2017 15:56 UTC