DUBAI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The UAE cabinet on Tuesday decided to expand the list of excise taxable products to include sweetened beverages, sugary drinks and electronic smoking devices as of Jan. 1, 2020, reported the official news agency WAM.
The step aims at reducing consumption of unhealthy goods and modifying consumers' behaviors and supporting the UAE government's efforts to prevent chronic diseases directly linked to sugar and tobacco consumption, according to a statement released by the cabinet general secretariat.
"A tax of 50 percent will be levied on any product with added sugar or other sweeteners, whether in form of a beverage, liquid, concentrate, powders, extracts or any product that may be converted into a drink," read the statement.
It added that a tax of 100 percent will be also levied on electronic smoking devices, whether or not they contain nicotine or tobacco, as well as the liquids used in electronic smoking devices.
