New sugar levy leaves bitter taste for households as prices to go up

Sugar in a supermarket. The new levy increases the price of domestically produced and imported sugar. [File, Standard]

Kenyan households are bracing for an increase in sugar prices as a new levy, instituted under the recently passed Sugar Act, takes effect on February 1.

The Sugar Development Levy, set at four per cent of the value for domestic sugar and the cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) value for imported sugar, has raised concerns among consumers and industry stakeholders alike.