Mexican soft drinks tax 墨西哥將對含糖飲料徵重稅

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Soft drinks often contain high levels of sugar

墨西哥總統培尼亞 (Enrique Pena Nieto)建議對含糖飲料徵稅以控制該國肥胖症的蔓延。培尼亞把此稅收比喻成一個國家性的「醫療稅收」，因為墨西哥肥胖症患者人數巨全世界第二。以下是 Will Grant 從墨西哥發來的報道：

Promising that the fiscal reform was "good news for Mexicans", President Enrique Pena Nieto unveiled a wide-ranging proposal which managed to sidestep a political controversy about sales tax on food and medicine.

Those would remain unchanged, undermining a central part of the left's opposition to the reform programme. But a hike in the tax on soft drinks was included. In part, the government hope it will help tackle the country's serious obesity problem. Mexico has the second-highest obesity rates in the world after the United States.

However, the reform is also intended to deal with Mexico's weak tax revenues. The country's coffers urgently need bolstering and the intention was that long-running loopholes, which have allowed large corporations to benefit for decades, would be closed.

In particular, there were calls to impose greater taxes on the country's top earners, including the world's richest man, Carlos Slim.

However, the final document appears to have been watered down in that regard. The proposal must now be approved by Congress and the Senate, as well as a majority of Mexico's states.

Quiz 聽力測驗

1. True or false? The United States has the highest obesity rates in the world.

2. True or false? Mexico needs to increase its government money reserve.

3. What problems does the president hope to tackle by increasing tax on soft drinks?