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Russian authorities have approved an increase in excise duty on sugary drinks
The Russian government has approved a bill to increase the consumer tax on sugar-containing drinks, TASS reports, citing sources in the Cabinet of Ministers.
The excise tax on sweet drinks in Russia will increase by 3 rubles per liter from the current 7-10 rubles per liter. The document will be submitted to the State Duma for consideration, the agency's interlocutor noted.
At the same time, the above excise taxes do not apply to a number of drinks popular with Russians. The increase in indirect tax will not affect juices, honey, fruit drinks, syrups, milk, dairy products, jelly and plant-based drinks.
Elena Petryaykina, director of the Russian Children's Clinical Hospital of the Russian Ministry of Health, supported the increase in excise tax on sweet drinks in a conversation with the agency. According to her, such products contain a lot of sugar. Excessive consumption of these drinks is harmful to health and can lead to excessive weight gain and even obesity. At the same time, she complained, manufacturers deliberately use bright labels to attract children's attention.
The excise tax on sweet drinks came into force in Russia on July 1, 2023. The indirect tax affected soft drinks with a high sugar content or sweeteners of more than 5 grams per 100 milliliters. As Mash reports, in order to avoid these excise taxes, large producers of soft drinks in Russia turned to sugar substitutes.