A Pennsylvania court ruled that Perrier, which has been marketed as French mineral water in the United States for over a century, is instead a soda and as such can be taxed, writes Shannon Thaler for the New York Post.

The popular drink’s classification first came under fire in 2019, when Jennifer Montgomery purchased a 16-ounce Perrier bottle at a Sheetz convenience store and was taxed 24 cents. She then filed petitions with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Board of Appeals asking for a refund as mineral water is not taxable in the U.S.

Montgomery had also submitted a class-action complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against Sheetz alleging the same issue.

After Pennsylvania’s Department of Revenue Board of Appeals ruled that Perrier is carbonated water and subject to sales tax, Montgomery appealed the decision.

However, last month the court once again ruled against her, stating that despite her claims otherwise, Perrier is artificially carbonated.

“This Court found that the process to carbonate Perrier is the same process used to carbonate Coca-Cola and Pepsi,” the ruling stated.

Read more about why a Pennsylvania court ruled that Perrier is a soda and, as such, can be taxed in the New York Post.

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