Benzene in soft drinks been filed by a group of parents in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The two companies, Zone Brands Inc., maker of "BellyWashers" products, and TalkingRain Beverage Co., denied that their products were harmful, but agreed to change the ingredients in their drinks. Coca-Cola announced that it would be phasing out sodium benzoate from many of its drinks, but not Fanta and Sprite. As of August 2012, Coca Cola Zero and Barq's root beer still contains benzoate (added as potassium salt and sodium salt respectively). A Belgian study found that plastic packaging may play an important role in
Alcoholic drinks in Sweden called "folköl" ("people's beer"), is sold in regular stores, but with the minimum purchase age of 18. Class III, "starköl" ("strong beer", over 3.5%) is sold only in Systembolaget stores. Drinks are taxed by content of alcohol, more heavily than in most other countries. The tax on vodka (40%) is 200.56 SEK/litre, on Wine (14%) 22.08 SEK/litre and on beer (4.5%) 6.615 SEK/litre (2007). Beer with 2.8% alcohol or less is exempt from tax, except VAT. The VAT is 12% (food tax) for drinks sold in shops having up to 3.5% alcohol, and 25% above that, and at restaurants. Systembolaget