Philadelphia’s New Soda Tax
Philadelphia passed a soda tax last June, becoming the first big U.S. city to approve such a measure.
The sugary-beverages tax approved by Council adds 1.5¢ per ounce to the cost of most drinks with a sugar-based sweetener or artificial sugar substitute. The tax took effect Jan. 1. Some beverages are exempt, including baby formula; products that contain more than 50 percent milk, fresh fruit, or vegetables; and unsweetened drinks to which the buyer adds sugar, or requests that the seller adds sugar.
What? Anybody concerned with sugar content should be screaming about exempting baby formula.
Based on the reaction of many Philadelphia shoppers, plenty of people were either unaware of the new tax or didn’t understand exactly how it would work. What appears to have caught many off guard is that the tax applies to far more than just sugar-laden sodas: The tax also hits sugar-free soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, iced tea, lemonade, and even some milks and fancy bottled waters.
Responses to the tax? Trends for the future of the food industry?
Read more …