Barbados Imposes SSB Tax

The Government of Barbados has announced a 10-percent excise tax on
the purchase of locally produced and imported sugar-sweetened beverages
as of August 1, 2015. The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) lauded
the action, citing consumption of sugary drinks as a major contributing
factor to escalating rates of obesity and related health conditions such
as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. See Open Letter to HCC
Membership, June 16, 2015.

Issue 570