World | France French 'Cola Tax' Starts Next Week Tax on soda will help state coffers, rising obesity By John Johnson Posted Dec 30, 2011 12:16 PM CST Copied Packs of Coca-Cola are pictured in a caddie at a supermarket on December 29, 2011 in Neuilly-sur-Marne, outside Paris. (Getty Images) Two things in France keep getting bigger: the deficit and the nation's waistline. To fight both simultaneously, a new "cola tax" will go into effect on New Year's Day, reports Der Spiegel. The tax will be a little more than a penny per can on Coke and other soft drinks, and industry insiders warn the move could eventually result in a 35% increase in prices. The government expects the tax to bring in $156 million in extra revenue. Denmark and Hungary have launched similar "fat taxes" on a wider range of products. Read These Next Her blood isn't compatible with anyone else's. Some of the most explosive Diddy allegations are dropped. Fan who taunted Ketel Marte's mom has been banned by MLB. NJ lifeguard survives after being impaled by an umbrella. Report an error