9 November 2010 –  Voters in Washington state, US have elected to repeal a tax on confectionery, soft drinks and bottled water that took effect earlier this year.

The election results was a hard fought victory for Washington confectioners and was achieved through the work of a coalition of consumers, retailers and food and beverage companies, including a strong push from the National Confectioner’s Association’s Washington Confectionery Coalition.

“NCA is grateful to the members of our Washington State Confectionery Coalition, whose passion and hard work played a major role in the successful repeal of this unfair tax”, says Larry Graham, president of the National Confectioners Association. “It has been a model for confectioners in other states to follow when it comes to effective involvement in public affairs.”

The state of Washington passed a food and beverage tax earlier this year that was nearly impossible to administer. Hundreds of candy products, like Snickers and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – and even some other food products like energy bars – were taxed while hundreds of other candy products, like Kit Kat and Twix bars, were exempt. The tax was discriminatory, targeting just some types of food and beverages.