Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has moved quickly to slap down the idea that he's just out on a cash grab.
“Is it possible that for a budget like ours, half a billion (€110 million) or a billion [złoty more] might justify a fiscal purpose?” he asked during a Facebook question-and-answer session. “Sugar is unhealthy,” he added. “The majority of mature countries in the world have introduced this tax. Do we want to be an immature country?"
The new levy hits drinks containing sugar and sweeteners as well as caffeine, such as co*ke, heavily sweetened fruit juices and energy drinks. It’s comprised of two parts: a fixed payment of 0.50 złoty (11 cents) per liter and a variable payment that depends on the amount of sugar.There's an additional payment of 0.10 złoty (2 cents) per liter for all drinks containing caffeine.
Polish consumers are quick to point out that this is making their drinks unusually costly. Analysis by Crédit Agricole shows that the new levy increases the price of sweet drinks — depending on their size and sugar content — by up to 35 percent. Popular drinks, such as Fanta and Coca-Cola, are among the most affected.Local media are reporting that, in some shops, Coca-Cola is 40 percent more expensive.
Six out of 10 Poles don't approve of the new levy, and half believe that the tax is a tool to boost the country's budget rather than improve their health, according to a survey by Zymetria, a consultancy, published before the new rules entered into force.
Their concerns are echoed by the country's businesses. "The motives of this tax are clearly fiscal," said Sławomir Dudek, economist-in-chief of Pracodawcy RP, a trade association of employers. "The promises were made before the general election, and the new tax was announced only after the vote," he said.
