Regarding Excise On Sweetened Drinks, Mamin Entrepreneurs: The Government Needs To Educate On Healthy Lifestyles

JAKARTA – General Chairperson of the Indonesian Food and Beverage Entrepreneurs Association (Gapmmi) Adhi S. Lukman encouraged the government to conduct a national campaign regarding the implementation of a healthy lifestyle before imposing an excise policy on the sweetened beverage segment.

According to him, this is a step that needs to be taken in addition to imposing tax collections in order to maintain the circulation of goods that are considered risky to the public.

"For the excise of sweetened drinks, we hope that there will be consumer education for a balanced diet and healthy living," he told VOI in the middle of this week.

According to Adhi, the government's plan to impose excise duty on consumer goods in 2022 is considered inappropriate. This is because the withdrawal of special levies can certainly suppress purchasing power, thereby potentially causing pressure on the production sector.

“The government needs to involve business actors and look at the overall condition. We have conveyed to the government that the application of excise is not appropriate from a technical point of view in dealing with existing problems and from a time perspective," he said.

Moreover, continued the food and beverage entrepreneur (mamin), the government is also moving the manufacturing sector to accelerate efforts to recover the economy.

"Moreover, currently in the process of economic recovery," he said.

As previously reported, 2022 will be the initial period for determining excise levies on sugary drinks and plastics. This is stated in the 2022 State Budget Law in the derivative regulation of Presidential Regulation 104/2021.

Meanwhile, the regulation stipulates that sweetened drinks such as packaged tea, soda, coffee, energy drinks, and concentrates are planned to impose an excise of Rp. 1,500 to Rp. 2,500 per liter.