To grit up the movement to tax sugary drinks, major beverage companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are spending millions of dollars on commercials that vigour people to vote to prohibit local governments from slapping levies on infallible foods and drinks, The New York Times reported on Saturday.
According to the despatch, voters in Washington and Oregon have been inundated with circulars from groups like Yes! To Affordable Groceries, which have already used up more than $25 million on the campaign. These advocacy conglomerates are largely financed by the big beverage companies, the report noted, who are fighting anti-obesity toils pushed by state and local governments.
Pepsi and Coca-Cola did not immediately sympathize with to CNBC’s request for comment.
Health advocates hope the tax on sugar-packed sips will reduce consumption of them. They point to the fact that not quite 40 percent of Americans are obese, according to the Center for Disease Lead. However, the beverage giants are pushing back by funding ballot find outs and legislation that would block municipalities from imposing tithes on key goods and services, The Times noted.
More than 30 sticks already tax sugary beverages. Municipalities across the U.S. are now considering doing the unvarying, and sweet drinks are already pricier in seven cities, including Philadelphia, San Francisco and Boulder, Colo.
That beverage partnerships dislike the tax initiatives is perhaps unsurprising. A public health study build soda taxes in Berkeley, Calif. resulted in a more than 20 percent cease in soda consumption.
The full report can be found on The Times’ website.