General Tax Authority Explains How Excise Tax On Sugary Drinks Is Calculated

Doha, Qatar: Pursuant to the new tax mechanism recently established, Excise Tax on sweetened drinks is assessed according to sugar content per 100 milliliters, the General Tax Authority (GTA) said.

It further explained that the applicable tax rate increases as sugar concentration rises.

In a social media post, the GTA stated that, under the new system, beverages containing 8 grams or more of sugar per 100 ml are classified as high sugar and subject to an Excise Tax of QR1.06 per liter.

Drinks with sugar content between 5 grams and 7.99 grams per 100 ml fall under the medium sugar category and are taxed at QR0.77 per liter.

Low sugar drinks are categorised as products with less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 ml and are exempt from Excise Tax.

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The Authority confirmed that drinks formulated with artificial sweeteners and containing no sugar are also exempt.

The GTA further stressed that this decision aims to encourage consumers to choose healthier alternatives and adopt a balanced lifestyle.

These new measures were introduced when the authority issued Law No 2 of 2026, amending provisions of Law No 25 of 2018 on Excise Tax in April. The changes come into effect on July 6, 2026.

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