The plastic tax – which obliges firms to pay a €1 levy per kilogram of plastic produced – is Italy’s contribution to global action against pollution, and is intended to raise almost €1 billion.
Meanwhile, taxes will be imposed on sugary drinks in the hope of raising revenues while also addressing health issues such as obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.
Similar taxes have already been introduced in many countries including Britain and France, and parts of the United States.
In Singapore, government officials are planning to ban advertisements for sugary drinks to curb health issues.
Italy’s new sugar tax will affect non-alcoholic beer, fizzy drinks and fruit juices with added sugar or sweeteners.
Coca-Cola’s Italian subsidiaries and partners will be among those hardest hit by the new levies.
Sibeg, which bottles and markets Coca-Cola in the Sicilian city of Catania, estimates the taxes will cut profits by €16.7 million.
Sibeg chief executive Luca Busi told Italian news agency ANSA the taxes were of no benefit to health or the environment but were “only aimed at raising cash, at a heavy cost for consumers, workers and companies”.
The new taxes will be effective from July 2020.
The budget will be presented to parliament in the coming days and must be approved by the end of the year.
