End pouring rights at UC Davis 

We, the students of UC Davis, demand that our campus not accept or renew a new pouring rights contract (PRC) with PepsiCo. 

UC Davis’ association with PepsiCo is a contradiction with our campus’ environmental standards, promotes sugar consumption, limits beverage choice, and increases beverage prices.

What is a pouring rights contract (PRC)?

Pouring rights are the exclusive rights of a beverage maker or distributor to sell its products at a particular venue, event, or institution. UC Davis' current PRC, which is set to expire in September 2024, grants PepsiCo the near exclusive privilege to sell and promote beverages on campus in return for sponsorship and other financial contributions. 

Why do we care?

UC Davis is the #1 Most Sustainable University in North America in 2023, according to the GreenMetrics system for 8 years in a row. UC Davis’ association with PepsiCo is in contradiction with our campus’ environmental standards, promotes sugar consumption, and increases beverage prices. PepsiCo is the second largest plastic polluter in the world, producing over 2 million metric tonnes of plastic packaging annually.

How does the contract contradict our values at UC Davis?

The promotion of the sale of beverages in single-use containers on campus directly undermines UC Davis’ waste reduction and carbon footprint goals. The PRC hindered UC Davis from achieving its zero waste goal by 2020. The revenue from the PRC amounts to less than 0.015% of the University’s total revenue. PRCs not only promote the consumption of beverages high in added sugar, but they also often limit and exclude healthier options and fail to prioritize access to tap water.

PRCs create monopolistic conditions, preventing students and staff from accessing a wider variety of beverage options, including healthier or more sustainable drink choices than those offered by the exclusive sponsor. 

These monopolistic conditions also lead to increased beverage prices through annual price escalations. This results in students potentially paying higher prices for beverages on campus compared to off-campus alternatives, which is especially concerning considering the significant prevalence of food insecurity among UC Davis students. 

What are our goals?

We call on the University of California, Davis to not renew their PRC with PepsiCo or to accept a new Request for Proposal (RFP) from any other organization for a PRC. University of California Office of the President (UCOP) to issue a moratorium on any PRCs systemwide. We request that all ASUCD Units opt out of the PRC should the University choose to sign one with PepsiCo or Coca-Cola.

Work EPPC has done

• Rally on June 1st, 2023, on Quad on campus
• Social Media Campaign on our Instagram
• ASUCD Senate Resolution #6 
• Cal Aggie General information about PRC
• Op-ED Cal Aggie wrote for PRC
• Davis Enterprise Pre-planning Protest
• Activists pressure UCD to drop Pepsi contract
• Davis Vanguard Article about Protest 
• Daphne Crother and Catherine Cochran with CUNY Article  
• Cal Aggie Disapproval on PRC Article
• EPPC’s OpEd on PRC
  • Contains email template to protest the PRC renewal. Students will email Chancellor May in protest.

Sources

• https://sustainability.ucdavis.edu/news/greenmetric-ranks-uc-davis-5th-world-3-years-running
• https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-tops-nation-sustainability-rankings
• www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2020/09/18/the-worlds-worst-companies-for-plastic-waste-pollution-infographic/?sh=18d7fb356f1
• https://theaggie.org/2024/02/22/uc-davis-should-not-sign-another-pouring-rights-contract-with-pepsico/