Rules by country / United States / US soda taxes by city
US soda taxes by city: what they cost each drink
Eight cities charge 1 to 2 cents per fluid ounce on sugary drinks, up to 24 cents on a 12oz can, and Philadelphia taxes diet drinks too. We work out the cost in every city you sell in and how to price for it.
Each city sets its own scope, such as a minimum of calories or sugar per 12oz. Check yours before relying on a figure.
A soda tax review for US cities
What the city taxes cost each product, and the price that works in each taxed city.
- The tax on every product in every city you sell in
- How much to pass on, city by city, with the expected volume and profit
- How shoppers react when prices differ between neighbouring stores
- A price plan by city and pack, and an Excel model
How your results look
| Product | Tax in Seattle | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| Cola, 12oz can | 21¢ | Pass on in full |
| Lemonade, 2 litres | $1.18 | Lead with smaller packs |
| Iced tea, 20oz | 35¢ | Pass on in part |
Fictional products. Every real result comes with the expected sales and profit, and a likely range.
Your options
Every option has a fixed price, agreed before we start.
Soda tax review
- The tax and best choice for each product
- Price plan for each retailer
- Scenario model and a walk-through
Pricing review with the tax
- Everything in the tax review
- Prices and promotions for the whole range
- How your products take sales from each other
Portfolio review
- Everything in the pricing review
- More retailers and data sources
- A plan for each channel
After the project: a refresh before each pricing round, from £2,000 (about $2,700). Prices are fixed in pounds sterling; amounts in US dollars are a guide at October 2026 exchange rates. We're based in the UK and work remotely, in English, under NDA.
How it works
From the first call to your plan in about three weeks.
A free 15-minute call
Tell us about your range. We say whether a review would pay for itself, and quote a fixed price.
Your data
Sales by product and retailer, recipes and costs. We sign an NDA before anything moves.
Your plan
The tax in each city, the best price and a plan, walked through with your team.
US soda taxes: the detail
Open only what you need.
- 2 cents an ounce
- Boulder (since July 2017) and Santa Cruz (since 1 May 2025)
- 1.75 cents an ounce
- Seattle, for manufacturers with over US$5 million in revenue (1 cent for US$2 to 5 million)
- 1.5 cents an ounce
- Philadelphia, on sugar and artificially sweetened drinks, including diet soda
- 1 cent an ounce
- Berkeley, Oakland, Albany and San Francisco
- Scope
- Each city has its own rules, such as a minimum of calories or added sweetener per 12oz
- Navajo Nation
- A 2% tax on junk food and sugary drinks
Pass it on
Raise the price by the tax or more. Works for products whose sales hold up when the price rises.
Absorb it
Keep the price and take the cost. Works when a rise would push a product past a key price point and lose more profit than the tax.
Price by city
Taxed cities border untaxed ones. Price each city on its own numbers.
Which US cities have a soda tax?
Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, Albany and Santa Cruz in California, Boulder in Colorado, Philadelphia and Seattle.
How much is the soda tax on a can?
From 12 cents on a 12oz can in the 1-cent cities to 24 cents in Boulder and Santa Cruz.
Are diet drinks taxed by US soda taxes?
Only in Philadelphia, which taxes drinks with sweeteners as well as sugar.
How much does a soda tax review cost?
A review of up to 10 products has a fixed price from £7,500 (about $10,000) and takes about three weeks. For 11 to 50 products, a full pricing review costs around £17,500 (about $23,000). It starts with a free 15-minute call.
Do you work with brands in the United States?
Yes. We're based in the UK and work remotely and in English, under NDA. Prices are fixed in pounds sterling before we start, and the first step is a free 15-minute call.
Checked on 20 October 2026. Rules and rates change, so check the official source before making decisions. This page is not tax advice.