PFA cracks down on energy drinks in Punjab

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Tuesday launched a massive crackdown on energy drinks across the province as the dead line given to manufacturers and food business operators expired on December 31.

According to the details, PFA DG directed his field officials to launch a large-scale operation against the shopkeepers who are still selling energy drinks in the market and the manufacturers.

He said that no beverage company can print word ‘energy’ on its products’ packaging and added that the companies are bound by the law to prominently mentioned ‘highly caffeinated drink’ on their products.

It is pertinent to mention here that PFA had directed the beverage companies to avoid printing the word ‘energy’ on the label of their products. The PFA had also imposed ban on terming the beverages containing pharmaceutical ingredients as energy drinks.

The authority had banned the sale of energy drinks in April 2018 and directed all manufacturers and distributors to remove their stocks form the market before completion of the deadline.

Govt decides to levy ‘Gunah Tax’ on carbonated drinks: sources

In an effort to encourage healthy lifestyle, the federal government had been planning to impose ‘Gunah Tax’ on carbonated drinks after cigarettes, said sources on December 4.

According to the details, the government was mulling to slap new taxes on cigarettes and carbonated drinks. The sources had said that the government was planning to levy Rs2 per 100 ml bottle of carbonated beverage and Rs5 to 15 on each packet of cigarettes under the new tax.