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Soda Tax Threat a Boon for Food Lobbyists

Industry pours millions into fight against it

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 5, 2009 12:25 PM CST

(Newser) – Capitol Hill’s flirtation with a national excise tax on sugary drinks has been good for someone: food lobbyists. Soda makers, supermarkets, and fast-food restaurants have spent more than $24 million fighting the tax, the Huffington Post reports. “We are reacting to the situation we find ourselves in," says an exec at the American Beverage Association, which has tripled its lobbying and advertising budget. “We really don't know when the threat is over.”

They’re not just pushing the message on Capitol Hill; a group called Americans Against Food Taxes, made up mostly of industry heavyweights including Pepsico, Coca-Cola, and Burger King, has spent $5 million on a nationwide advertising campaign arguing that a soda tax will hurt lower-income Americans. Supporters of the tax compare it to the taxes on tobacco used to subsidize health care. One research paper said soft drinks “may be the single largest driver of the obesity epidemic.”

[Images (1)]

[Videos (2)]

Coca-Cola cased soda are on display, Monday, July 20, 2009 in a grocery store in Danvers, Mass. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole)

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An ad from Americans Against Food Taxes. (NoBevandFoodTax)

An ad from the Americans Against Food Taxes Coalition. (NoBevandFoodTax)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 14 comments

yummines

Nov 6, 2009 12:50 PM CST

its obvious that the soda companies are not fighting to protect the low-income people, but rather to protect their profits. i dont understand, low-income people shouldn't even be wasting money on junk food. I mean juice is sweet and healthy, why not just drink that? it seems strange that a teenager such as myself would not like soda much, but still i do not find the rationale. A soda tax is only a threat to those who are addicted to junk, to rest it will only serve as a minor expense...

schmidtkoff

Nov 6, 2009 2:06 AM CST

when in a biology class my prof. said sugar, is sugar is sugar. lumping it all together: fructose, lactose and sucrose. so what is the problem with the high fructose corn syrup? was she wrong and if so, (i'm lazy at the moment to do further research) what is the detriment of this in soft drinks rather than other foodstuffs containing sugar or those that convert to sugar?

kirby

Nov 6, 2009 1:33 AM CST

Enough with the finger pointing about "why people are fat". Some are because of the genetic make up and some are because they don't eat right or get any exercise. If it's the lack of exercise, then take some responsibility and get off your butt. Hold yourself accountable! I drink soda every day and am in good health and I'm not over weight. Why should I have to pay a higher tax? Because it's another way for government to control my life and make choices for me that I don't want them making! Oh, and by the way, I have and pay for my own health care. It's a responsibility... Not a right! I agree that something needs to be done about the cost but, I don't want to have to pay for everyone else that won't get a job.

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Huffington Post (Source Grid »)

Politics • Science

Pepsi • lobbyist • fast food industry • lobbyists • advertising campaign • Coca-Cola Co • soda tax • Americans Against Food Taxes

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Soda Tax Threat a Boon for Food Lobbyists