Philadelphia Passes “Soda Tax,” Then The Inevitable Happens
Last summer, Philadelphia decided to make the foolish choice to become the first U.S. city to pass a tax on soda. While leftists tried to sell the farce that this tax would be great for budget deficits, the inevitable instead happened — high prices, declining sales, and people set to be out of work.
Zero Hedge reported:
Last summer, Philadelphia decided to make the foolish choice to become the first U.S. city to pass a tax on soda. While leftists tried to sell the farce that this tax would be great for budget deficits, the inevitable instead happened — high prices, declining sales, and people set to be out of work.
Zero Hedge reported:
Then, one month ago, after the tax went into effect on January 1st we showed the tax applied in practice: a receipt for a 10 pack of flavored water carried a 51% beverage tax. And since PA has a sales tax of 6% and Philly already charges another 2%, the total sales tax was 8%. In other words, a purchase which until last year came to $6.47 had overnight become $9.75.
According to Philly.com reports, two months into the city’s sweetened-beverage tax, supermarkets and distributors are reporting a 30% to 50% drop in beverage sales and – adding insult to injury – are now planning for layoffs.
One of the city’s largest distributors told the Philadelphia website it would cut 20% of its workforce in March, and an owner of six ShopRite stores in Philadelphia says he expects to shed 300 workers this spring. “People are seeing sales decline larger than anything they’ve seen up to this point in the city,” said Alex Baloga, vice president of external relations at the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association.
According to Philly.com reports, two months into the city’s sweetened-beverage tax, supermarkets and distributors are reporting a 30% to 50% drop in beverage sales and – adding insult to injury – are now planning for layoffs.
One of the city’s largest distributors told the Philadelphia website it would cut 20% of its workforce in March, and an owner of six ShopRite stores in Philadelphia says he expects to shed 300 workers this spring. “People are seeing sales decline larger than anything they’ve seen up to this point in the city,” said Alex Baloga, vice president of external relations at the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association.
