Sugar Taxes Are Changing Tastes, Even If Coke Classic Is the Same

So-called sugar taxes imposed by countries including the U.K., Mexico, Ireland, and some U.S. cities were designed to change the behavior of companies like Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc., as well as consumers.

They have—if not always in the ways intended.

The U.K.'s tax brought in 36 percent less revenue than projected in its first six months, government figures show, reflecting that sugar content in beverages is lower across product lineups. Mexico and Hungary have changed consumer behavior with their versions of the tax, said Gijsbert Bulk, global director of indirect tax at EY, and academic research has shown Philadelphia’s ...