To combat obesity, Colombia raises taxes on these products
Colombia has started raising taxes on sugary beverages and heavily processed products to address the increasing obesity rate in the country.
The new tax, approved by Congress at the end of 2022 and upheld by the Constitutional Court despite several legal challenges, is set to increase from 10 percent to 15 percent in 2024 and reach 20 percent in 2025.
Among the items affected by this increase are products rich in salt or manufactured fats and carbonated beverages linked to the rising cases of diabetes and the increased risk of heart and vascular diseases.
Approximately 286,000 people work in the sugar product manufacturing sector in Colombia, and many prominent business figures in the industry have filed legal challenges against this decision.
However, the Constitutional Court confirmed this year that the tax “does not violate the principles of equality, economic freedom, and a free market.”
