Sweet makers hide behind babies to avoid Sh20 tax

Parks of tropical sweets. Manufacturers want the treasury to abolish excise duty on sweets and confectioneries. [Courtesy]

Manufacturers have urged Treasury to abolish excise duty on sweets and confectioneries since it affects their core market, minors. They argue that the sin tax is like charging minors before they even start making a shilling.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich last month bundled sweets and chocolate taxes under a new sin tax, charging Sh20 on every kilo of the confectioneries in the Finance Bill 2018.