Philadelphia first major city to introduce soda tax

Philadelphia has become the first major US city with a soda tax despite a multimillion-euro campaign by the beverage industry to block it.

The city council gave final approval to a 1.5c-per-ounce tax on sugary and diet beverages.

The tax is set to take effect in the city, which markets itself as the place where the first flavoured carbonated beverage was sold, on January 1.

Only Berkeley, California, has a similar law. Soda tax proposals have failed in more than 30 cities and states, including twice in Philadelphia, in recent years.

Such plans are typically criticised as disproportionately affecting the poor, who are more likely to consume sugary drinks.

Democratic mayor Jim Kenney sold the council on the idea with a plan to spend most of the estimated €80m in new tax revenue next year to pay for nurseries, community schools and recreation centres.

The tax, which passed 13-4, was a hard-fought win for the city. The soda industry spent millions of euro advertising against the proposal.