An anticipated US$13.7 billion deficit for New York in 2009/10 has potentially paved the way for a tax on non-diet soft drinks in the region. New York Governor David Paterson has announced that he intends to place an 18 per cent sales tax on ‘non-diet’ soft drinks “to combat obesity and related diseases”, with the funds raised directed to healthcare. There have been other states in the US which have placed a tax on soft drinks and/or confectionery, but New York will be the... ...Read more »

A ban on ‘all you can drink’ promotions in pubs and bars and on certain supermarket discounts are among a range of new measures announced today by British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Health Secretary Alan Johnson.Following an independent review, which reportedly discovered a number of retailers not abiding by their own voluntary standards for responsible selling and marketing of alcohol, the government intends to introduce a new mandatory code of practice to target “the most... ...Read more »

Family First Senator Steve Fielding has reported that he will now support the controversial ‘alcopop’ tax after in spite of his opposition to the use of taxes to control binge drinking. Mr Fielding said that in light of recent economic turmoil it was now in the best interests of the country for the budget measures to be passed. This has meant he will no longer use his position in the Senate to block the ready-to-drink (alcopop) alcoholic beverage tax nor changes to the thresholds for... ...Read more »

The UK Government has sent a strong warning to alcohol companies via a proposal to implement extensive legislation changes if the industry doesn’t adhere to its’ own voluntary standards. Mandatory regulation and labelling could be on the cards following a major consultation about England’s drinking culture, launched this week by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo. The Department of Health consultation is published together with independent reviews, which claim that the drinks... ...Read more »

A website has been set up by the Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (DSICA) to highlight the millions being reaped by the Federal Government following the introduction of the controversial alcopops tax. In the wake of concern about binge drinking in Australia the Rudd Government announced a 70 per cent increase on taxes imposed on alcopops (ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages), which was introduced before being passed through the Senate. It has since been attacked by some as being merely... ...Read more »

The Senate Committee Inquiry into the proposed tax increase on “alcopops” begun this morning in Canberra with the public hearing, held over the next two days, to have evidence provided by 17 groups (mainly from health and alcohol sectors). The Community Affairs Committee is due to report on ten issues relating to the proposed tax increase on ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages. The primary issues are: the likely effect of the scheme on RTD consumption prevalence, the modelling underpinning... ...Read more »

A fall in sales of alcopops has been recorded following the marked increase in taxes applied to the beverages by the Rudd Government. Lion Nathan boss, Rob Murray, has claimed that sales of alcopops may have fallen by up to 30 per cent since the price hike about a month ago. “The first 4-6 weeks were always going to be the worst in terms of a drop in sales,” Mr Murray was quoted as saying in the Herald Sun. “It has been a substantial reduction in sales so far, but we will have a... ...Read more »

The heavily publicised ‘alcopop’ tax is no certainty to be passed through the Senate, with both the Liberal and Greens parties indicating a lack of support for the legislation. The bill, which Coca-Cola Amatil have claimed could cut sales in ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol spirits by up to 10%, is expected to earn the government about $2 billion over the next four years. However, there has been criticism that the tax is nothing more than a revenue raiser with expectations of tax receipts... ...Read more »