Aside from bulk grocery deals, part of the thrill of going to S&R Membership Shopping is their seemingly endless supply of food you can gorge on. You can go there whenever you’re craving roasted chicken, New York-style pizza, or even sugar-coated churros, but based on a photo shared online earlier this week, it looks like one of their most popular offerings is no longer available.
Say goodbye to unlimited soda.
In an advisory posted by S&R’s management, they announced that they have stopped offering unlimited soda because of the new sugar tax implemented by the government.
“Effective 1st of January 2018, we will discontinue serving unlimited soda due to the tax reform law,” the announcement reads.
LOOK: S&R to discontinue serving unlimited soda due to the tax reform law | via Bayan Muna party-list pic.twitter.com/aO6Apro3zW
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) January 3, 2018
Late last month, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) measure, the first package in the government’s tax reform initiative.
With TRAIN, income tax decreases for people with lower annual incomes, effectively increasing people’s take-home pay. But this change in income tax rates also means the government had to increase taxes on goods like cars, coal and, to the dismay of soda lovers — sugar-sweetened drinks.
Sweetened drinks using either caloric or non-caloric sweeteners will be taxed PHP6 (US$.12) per liter while those that contain high fructose corn syrup will be taxed PHP12 (US$.24) per liter.
Apart from the money it will bring in, the government implemented the sugar tax to help reduce consumption of sugar and improve people’s health.
Still, many were not happy about S&R’s announcement.
"S&R will discontinue serving unlimited soda due to the tax reform law"
Saddest news I've ever heard this 2018. 😕
— Rey (@reybacs12) January 3, 2018
Eventhough I'm not back in Manila yet, I cri bc S&R's gonna stop having unlimited soda's.
— Ira (@kellee0809) January 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/enriquez_saimon/status/948217465774923781
https://twitter.com/shnskycbs/status/948798364853813248
But others are all for it.
People shouldn’t even be drinking copious amounts of soda in the first place https://t.co/ud1p7d4C5W?amp=1
— Stoiconomist (@IAmDavidYapII) January 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/roniflores/status/948622679442993152
While customary in other countries, unlimited refills are not common in fast food chains in the Philippines. S&R, a membership-only warehouse market similar to Costco, was one of the few establishments that offered unlimited soda. It has branches nationwide including ones in Davao, Cebu, and several in Metro Manila.
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