National Assembly finalizes special consumption tax on sugary soft drinks

Specifically, according to the provisions of the Law on Special Consumption Tax (amended) just passed by the National Assembly on the morning of June 14, soft drinks according to Vietnamese Standards (TCVN) with sugar content over 5g/100ml will be subject to special consumption tax.

The tax on sugary soft drinks is seen as the first step in implementing solutions to limit the production and consumption of products containing a lot of sugar - one of the main causes of overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases.

This policy direction aims to encourage consumers to change their consumption behavior, while promoting businesses to shift to producing healthier, less sugary products.

Since this is a new item added to the taxable category, in order to give businesses time to adapt and adjust their production and business plans, the National Assembly Standing Committee has taken into account the opinions of delegates and agreed with the drafting agency on the tax application roadmap. Specifically, sugary soft drinks will be subject to a tax rate of 8% from 2027 and increase to 10% from 2028.

According to the National Assembly Standing Committee, in the coming time, the Government needs to continue studying international experience to consider expanding the list of goods subject to special consumption tax to other products containing sugar, aiming to protect public health in a more comprehensive and sustainable way.

In addition, the Law stipulates that taxable goods include: Tobacco as prescribed by the Law on Prevention of Harmful Effects of Tobacco; alcohol as prescribed by the Law on Prevention of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer; beer as prescribed by the Law on Prevention of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer.

Motor vehicles with less than 24 seats, including: passenger cars; four-wheeled motor vehicles; passenger pick-up trucks; double-cabin cargo pick-up trucks; VAN trucks with two or more rows of seats, designed with a fixed partition between the passenger compartment and the cargo compartment.

Two-wheeled motorcycles, three-wheeled motorcycles with a cylinder capacity of over 125 cm3; airplanes, helicopters, gliders and yachts; gasoline of all kinds.

Air conditioners with a capacity of over 24,000 BTU to 90,000 BTU, except for those designed by the manufacturer to be installed only on means of transport including cars, railway cars, airplanes, helicopters, ships, and boats. In case the manufacturing organization or individual sells or the importing organization or individual imports each part separately, the hot or cold unit, the goods sold or imported (hot or cold unit) are still subject to special consumption tax as for the finished product (complete air conditioner).

Playing cards; votive paper, votive goods, excluding votive goods that are children's toys or teaching aids.

The goods specified above are finished products, excluding components for assembling these goods.

Services subject to special consumption tax include: Discotheque business; massage and karaoke business; casino business; electronic games with prizes including jackpot games, slot machines and similar machines; betting business including sports betting, entertainment and other forms of betting as prescribed by law; golf business; lottery business.

The Law stipulates that in case it is necessary to amend or supplement taxable subjects to suit the socio-economic context in each period, the Government shall submit it to the National Assembly Standing Committee for consideration, decision and report to the National Assembly at the nearest session.

Also this morning, the National Assembly voted to pass the Law on Corporate Income Tax (amended); Law on Management and Investment of State Capital in Enterprises; Law on Chemicals (amended); Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations; Law on Digital Technology Industry.