• Financial Times, Wednesday, July 22, 2009 10:42 AM

Coca-Cola says that consumers aren't ready for the "soda tax" on sugared drinks that has been proposed in some quarters as a way to help pay for healthcare reforms in the U.S. (A murkily sourced robocall the other day basically told me the same thing, railing against politicians who might think otherwise.)

Coke CEO Muhtar Kent points out that the proposal is not included in the House version of the healthcare bill. "I'm hoping that the same logic will prevail with the Senate," he says. Proponents of the tax argue that taxing non-diet sodas and juices also will contribute to anti-obesity efforts, Jonathan Birchall reports.

Coke yesterday reported that global case unit sales rose 4% over the second quarter of last year with strong demand in India, China and elsewhere in the developing world. Kent says the U.S. market continues to see a continued shift away from sales of chilled bottles and cans from store freezers to home consumption.

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