A bill announced by the Washington D.C. Council would place a 1.5 cent-per-ounce excise tax on sweetened beverages, which would add one dollar to the price of a two-liter bottle, reports The Washington Post. The bill comes days after the city added an additional 2 percent sales tax on soft drinks, and if passed, the excise tax would replace the sales tax. Eight of 13 members of the D.C. Council have already signed onto the latest tax legislation.
However, the new bill only applies to sugary drinks with “natural common sweeteners,” (which, in addition to some soda, includes Gatorade, sweetened ice tea, and orange juice) but would exclude diet soda and other drinks with artificial sweeteners. Full Story
Related: Study Links Soda Consumption to Increased Risk of Death; Taxes on Sugary Beverages Effective at Reducing Sales.
from Specialty Food News https://ift.tt/2p5NUM9
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