Why the price of beer could be about to rise in France

Brewers in France are facing proposals to raise taxes on alcoholic and sweetened drinks under the French government’s latest budget. According to RFI reports, the measures being debated in parliament would raise much-needed funds for the French health system, but sting the independent brewing sector which could find itself penalised in the process. The proposals follow pressures for France’s new government to find ways to reduce the country’s sizeable deficit and build in taxes that could save billions of euros on social security. As such, proposals to also raise duties on potentially unhealthy food and drink has been tabled as part of the plan. At present, members of parliament in France have proposed a range of amendments to the suggested funding bill that would target alcohol and processed sugar, and specifically high-strength, sweetened beers. The proposal reportedly aims to expand the “social security contribution” levied on certain products and allocate this towards funding ...