We posted an article a few weeks ago about the possibility of a soda tax being imposed by certain states. The tax is intended to combat the growing obesity epidemic as well as provide some additional revenue to states marred in debt. We didn’t endorse the tax or discredit it, and said we would reserve judgment while the debate took hold.
Muhtar Kent, the CEO of Coke, has weighed in on the debate in today’s Wall Street Journal. Muhtar makes the argument that obesity has risen while soft drink sales have declined. He makes valid points about the amount of time Americans spend watching TV and playing video games. He also points out that the debate should be shifted to include the amount of calories a person burns off, and not solely on what they take in.
There are some good points here and they should be included in the debate. Bravo to Mr. Kent for taking a position to defend his company and lash out against a tax he feels unreasonable. The real question is, do his arguments have merit? Read the article and let us know your thoughts.