The central government’s new GST rates on popcorn—5% for salted, 12% for branded, and 18% for caramel—have sparked widespread criticism. Former economic advisers slammed the decision’s complexity and minimal revenue gain, while opposition leaders called it absurd. The finance minister defended the caramel popcorn tax, citing its sugar content, but public sentiment remains largely negative. The central government’s new GST rates on popcorn—5% for salted, 12% for branded, and 18% for caramel—have sparked widespread criticism. Former economic advisers slammed the decision’s complexity and minimal revenue gain, while opposition leaders called it absurd. The finance minister defended the caramel popcorn tax, citing its sugar content, but public sentiment remains largely negative.
