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.