Pure fruit juice producers oppose sugar tax

There is a good chance that from 1 January 2023 the sugar tax will be increased. That means paying extra for soft drinks. With the aim that consumers will make a healthier choice. But this price increase does not always make sense. Pure fruit juice, for example, also falls under the soft drink tax. This is strange. Because with soft drinks, a manufacturer can choose: add more or less sugar. But pure fruit juices are 100 per cent natural, straight from the orchard. Nothing more and nothing less. To call on politicians to separate pure fruit juices from soft drinks, the 'No sugar tax in the orchard' campaign has been launched.

Of course, it is a good idea for the government to fight obesity. "But you should not compare apples to oranges," say the campaign's initiators. "The contents of our bottles grow on the tree, and soft drinks come from the factory. In our products there is not even one gram of processed 'factory sugar'. On the contrary: real fruit juice consists 100 per cent of delicious, sweet fruit, ripened under full sun. Simply squeezed, with no additives, ready to enjoy. Surely no one should have to pay extra for that?"

Tax increase arbitrary

The 'sugar tax' is a surcharge that has been in place for years, and is now about to be sharply increased. Undesirable at a time when consumers are paying more for their groceries already. Besides, the application seems arbitrary. For instance, sugary dairy drinks and solid products such as sweets, chocolates and biscuits remain unaffected by this levy.

Online petition

Meanwhile, the campaign website geensuikertaksindeboomgaard.nl is up and running. There, consumers can sign a petition against this significant/strong tax - and thus price increase - on fruit juice. Other actions are also in the pipeline. Behind the campaign are several large and small fruit growers, suppliers and pressers of pure fruit juices. Such as Flevosap, 'sLandsBeste, Schulp, Van Kempen Fruitsappen and De Appelaere. With enough signatures, the petition will be presented to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Geensuikertaksindeboomgaard.nl