Coca-Cola - Brickbats - France puts 300% tax on Coke - Brief Article

Reason, May, 2001

Have a Coke and a smile--but not if you're visiting the French village of Sainte-Marie. The town of just 255 people has slapped a 300 percent tax on Coca-Cola. Town officials say they are doing this because the drink lacks "traceability," which means the ingredients of the soft drink's syrup are secret.

"This is absolutely not about disguised protectionism against American products," says Mayor Bernard Herman.