Editing Soft drink (section)

===Taxation===
{{Main|Sugary drink tax}}

In the United States, legislators, health experts and consumer advocates are considering levying higher [[tax]]es on the sale of soft drinks and other sweetened products to help curb the epidemic of [[Obesity in the United States|obesity among Americans]], and its harmful impact on overall health. Some speculate that higher taxes could help reduce soda consumption.<ref name=Duffey2010>{{cite journal |vauthors=Duffey KJ, Gordon-Larsen P, Shikany JM, Guilkey D, Jacobs DR, Popkin BM |title=Food price and diet and health outcomes: 20 years of the CARDIA Study |journal=Archives of Internal Medicine |volume=170 |issue=5 |pages=420–6 |year=2010 |pmid=20212177 |pmc=3154748 |doi=10.1001/archinternmed.2009.545 }}</ref> Others say that taxes should help fund education to increase consumer awareness of the unhealthy effects of excessive soft drink consumption, and also help cover costs of caring for conditions resulting from overconsumption.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-09-18-soda-tax_N.htm  | title = USA Today, Experts: penny per ounce to fight obesity, health costs. Sept 18 2009 | access-date = April 11, 2010 | date = September 18, 2009 | archive-date = October 17, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091017000635/http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-09-18-soda-tax_N.htm | url-status = live }}</ref> The [[food industry|food]] and [[drink industry]] holds considerable clout in Washington, DC, as it has contributed more than $50 million to legislators since 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=N01 |title=Food and Beverage industry profile |publisher=[[OpenSecrets]] |date=February 18, 2013 |access-date=November 19, 2009 |archive-date=August 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090808220508/http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=N01 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2013, a British [[lobby group]] called for the price of sugary fizzy drinks to be increased, with the money raised (an estimated £1 billion at 20p per litre) to be put towards a "Children's Future Fund", overseen by an independent body, which would encourage children to eat healthily in school.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.govtoday.co.uk/health/44-public-health/14591-61-organisations-call-for-a-sugary-drinks-duty |title=61 organisations call for a sugary drinks duty |publisher=Govtoday.co.uk |date=January 29, 2013 |access-date=March 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216220641/http://www.govtoday.co.uk/health/44-public-health/14591-61-organisations-call-for-a-sugary-drinks-duty |archive-date=February 16, 2013 }}</ref>

In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain imposed a 50% tax on soft drinks and a 100% tax on energy drinks to curb excess consumption of the commodity and for additional revenue.<ref>{{Cite journal|vauthors=Backholer K, Blake M, Vandevijvere S |date=2017|title=Sugar-sweetened beverage taxation: An update on the year that was 2017|journal=Public Health Nutrition|volume=20 | issue = 18 |pages=3219–3224|doi=10.1017/s1368980017003329|pmid=29160766|pmc=10261626 |doi-access=free|hdl=10536/DRO/DU:30105615|hdl-access=free}}</ref>