Olli Heikkilä of Laitila’s Wirvoitusjuomatehti can’t help but wonder about the tax increase.
On the first day of April, the prices of both sugary and sugar-free soft drinks went up. Lauri Pajunen
Finns are fed up with the increase in the tax on soft drinks.
But how is it handled in the brewery? We asked the CEO of Laitila Wirvoitusjuomatehta Olli Heikkilän comment on the subject.
According to Heikkilä, it is unfair to target extra taxes to only one industry, as in this case the soft drink industry.
– This puts the industry in an unequal position compared to other industries. Originally, the soft drink tax was introduced after the wars as a luxury tax. Soft drinks are not a luxury today, so the original basis for the tax no longer applies.
Heikkilä reminds that the soft drink industry employs a significant number of people and supports the local economy. He states that the tax increases are transferred directly to prices for consumers to pay, which, according to Heikkilä, reduces consumption and thus weakens the profitability of industry, trade and restaurants and cafes.
– This can lead to job losses and reduced investments in a situation where consumer demand is otherwise weak. Consumers should have the right to choose for themselves which products they buy. Tax increases can limit consumers’ freedom of choice and direct them towards alternative products, which are not necessarily healthier or more environmentally friendly, predicts Heikkilä.
He states that the soft drink industry has already taken significant steps to reduce the amount of sugar in its products and develop healthier options for consumers.
– Tax increases do not encourage industry to continue these positive changes, but on the contrary can slow down development, Heikkilä regrets.