What shoppers need to know about the Cook County pop tax

[TexasTowelie]

That 2-liter of pop you're picking up for the Fourth of July picnic might pack a little sticker shock this year as Cook County rolls out a new penny-per-ounce tax on a wide variety of sugar- and artificially-sweetened beverages.

As one example, a 2-liter bottle, which usually costs about $1, will incur a 67-cent soda tax.

The county's sweetened beverage tax, which takes effect July 1, is one of many so-called soda taxes popping up across the country as elected officials seize upon the opportunity to raise revenue while attempting to improve public health. Conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease are linked to consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, though the science on artificially sweetened beverages is less conclusive.

This policy trend has pit public health experts and local leaders against the beverage industry and small-business owners.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-cook-county-soda-tax-preview-0625-biz-20170622-story.html