Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – "This tax has been ready to go into effect for seven years, and all governments, including the one that introduced it in 2019, have since postponed it, demonstrating its uselessness." This was stated by Giangiacomo Pierini, president of Assobibe, during a meeting in Rome, promoted by the Confindustria association representing soft drink producers in Italy. The meeting brought together institutions, political forces, and businesses to analyze the economic and social impacts of the sugar tax's implementation, scheduled for early 2027.
“The fact that a tax hasn't been implemented doesn't mean it won't create problems: we currently have more than a billion euros blocked in the accounts of companies that, not knowing what will happen in the future, need to protect themselves,” he added.
“It's a billion euros that could go towards new investments, new plants, expansions, and new products, and therefore also into new jobs.
"This is why we are calling for its elimination," Pierini emphasized. "Without this tax, we would be ready to continue investing and supporting sales. Our market needs investment, it needs innovation, it must continue to grow," he explained.
According to the president of Assobibe, the introduction of the sugar tax "would have the effect of immediately determining an increase in taxation of 28% per litre of beverage."
"It's hard to imagine this cost being absorbed by businesses, which currently pay a high price for energy, raw materials, packaging, and transportation," he observed. The price increase, he concluded, "would lead to a drop in volumes, estimated at 16%, which would mean fewer purchases of Italian raw materials, from fruit to packaging, and lower sales, with an impact on employment."
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