Belgium to tax sugary soft drinks from 2016: report

Belgium will next year introduce a "sugar tax" on all soft drinks, Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reported on Friday, based on information from unnamed government sources.

According to the newspaper, the tax could generate 250 million euros a year (about 287.5 million U.S. dollars) for the Belgian state by 2020.

Het Laatste Nieuws says Belgium had previously considered only taxing sugary "alco-pop" drinks, such as Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Breezer, but has now decided to extend it further to include soft drinks such as Coca Cola.

The amount that will be levied on each bottle or can of sugary drinks is not yet clear, the paper said, adding that the tax would be introduced progressively from 2016.

The tax is expected to make 50 million euros in the first year, with that amount increasing by an extra 50 million euros each year thereafter until reaching the 250 million euro peak in 2020. (1 euro = 1.15 U.S. dollars) Enditem