Vending

Washington newspaper slams proposed soda tax

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March 5, 2021

The Colombian, a Vancouver, Washington newspaper, announced its opposition to a proposal to tax beverage distributors on beverages with more than 20 calories in a 12-ounce serving in an editorial.

The editorial acknowledged possible benefits from such a tax, but said the timing is wrong as restaurants and small businesses struggle to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2018, when Seattle imposed such a tax, a University of Illinois study found sugary beverage sales fell 30.5% in the following months while in Portland, with no such tax, sales fell 10.5%.

The editorial also said such a tax would be regressive since studies have indicated low-income people consume more sugary drinks than others.