Section 26-57-904 - Tax rate(a) There is hereby levied and there shall be collected a tax upon every distributor, manufacturer, or wholesale dealer, to be calculated as follows: (1) One dollar and twenty-six cents ($1.26) per gallon for each gallon of soft drink syrup or simple syrup sold or offered for sale in the State of Arkansas;(2) Twenty and six-tenths cents (20.6¢) per gallon for each gallon of bottled soft drinks sold or offered for sale in the State of Arkansas; and(3)(A) When a package or container of powder or other base product, other than a syrup or simple syrup, is sold or offered for sale in Arkansas, and the powder is for the purpose of producing a liquid soft drink, then the tax on the sale of each package or container shall be equal to twenty and six-tenths cents (20.6¢) for each gallon of soft drink which may be produced from each package or container by following the manufacturer's directions.(B) This tax applies when the sale of the powder or other base is sold to a retailer for sale to the ultimate consumer after the liquid soft drink is produced by the retailer.(b)(1) Any retailer or retail dealer who purchases bottled soft drinks, soft drink syrup, simple syrup, powder, or base product from an unlicensed distributor, manufacturer, or wholesale dealer shall be liable for the tax levied in subsection (a) of this section on those purchases.(2) A retailer shall not be subject to this tax if the retailer purchases syrups, simple syrups, powders or base products, or soft drinks from a supplier licensed under § 26-57-909.Amended by Act 2017, No. 141,§ 61, eff. for tax years beginning on and after 1/1/2018.Acts 1992 (2nd Ex. Sess.), No. 7, §§ 4, 5; 2009, No. 655, § 94.