Industry: Philadelphia soda tax killing sales, layoffs loom

Associated Press ^ | Feb 22, 2017 11:00 AM EST

[Olog-hai]

Some Philadelphia supermarkets and beverage distributors say they’re gearing up for layoffs because the city’s new soda tax has cut beverage sales by 30 percent to 50 percent, worse than the city predicted.

An owner of six supermarkets tells The Philadelphia Inquirer he expects to cut 300 jobs, and a soft drink distributor predicts a 20 percent workforce reduction.

City officials expect business to rebound once customers get over sticker shock. …

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

because the city’s new soda tax has cut beverage sales by 30 percent to 50 percent, worse than the city predicted.

Why the hand-wringing? This is what the city wanted, right? People to consume less sugary drinks and get healthy.

That's the objective, right?

[OrangeHoof]

The city near me started a plastic bag ban so I go to the suburbs for my groceries. I’m sure a lot of beverage drinkers are simply going outside the city to buy what they want.

[hal ogen]

Probably these “city officials” never ran a business in their worthless lives. Their “predictions” are what my dog left on the lawn this morning.

[miss marmelstein]

Actions have consequences, dummies!

[A CA Guy]

Buy it elsewhere and drive it in.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Click The Pic

[Doogle]

Owl faced mayor is a uber lib...serves him right

[EQAndyBuzz]

Black market coke. Nice.

[Luke21]

That’s what they are doing. It’s a windfall for the suburbs.

[Arm_Bears]

Gee—People respond to an increase in price by reducing their consumption.

Whodda thunk?

[Dr. Sivana]

Wasn’t that the intention of the tax in the first place? It wasn’t to raise money, no-no-nooo!

[FlingWingFlyer]

Social engineering via taxes. Sound like an old Nazi trick.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

ROFL. Just as I said!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

What exactly are Philadelphia’s costs from people consuming soda? They have no justification whatsoever for imposing this tax, and the citizens of Philadelphia are fools to tolerate this attempt to regulate their behavior.

[WMarshal]

City officials expect business to rebound once customers get over sticker shock. …

That sentiment is clear evidence that the tax was never "about the children" and that the tax was just another wealth grab/extortion from the parasite political class.

[JonPreston]

So a hot dog and a coke at the Philly game will now be $21 bucks? Good luck, Killadelphia.

[Teflonic]

Many of these people are likely doing ALL of their food shopping out of town now since nobody wants to make multiple trips for different things.

[Secret Agent Man]

Waiting for the minorities hardest hit stories to appear.

[BitWielder1]

So did they want to reduce soda intake to improve people's health or get more money in the coffers?
Which one is it? They can't have both.
How much tax revenue will they lose if the companies close?