Question

Suppose that the U.S. government decides to charge wine producers a tax. Before the tax, 40 billion bottles of wine were sold every year at a price of $7 per bottle. After the tax, 35 billion bottles of wine are sold every year; consumers pay $9 per bottle, and producers receive $6 per bottle (after paying the tax). The amount of the tax on a bottle of wine isper bottle. Of this amount, the burden that falls on consumers isper bottle, and the burden that falls on producers isper bottle. True or False: The effect of the tax on the quantity sold would have been larger if the tax had been levied on consumers.

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

The computation is shown below:

The amount of the tax for the wine bottle is

= $9 per bottle - $6 per bottle

= $3 per bottle

Before the tax, the price per bottle is $7 per bottle

The Tax burden on consumers is

= $9 - $7

= $2 per bottle

And, the tax burden on producers is

= $7 per bottle - $6 per bottle

= $1 per bottle

So, the given statement is false as the impact would remain the same whether it is for producer or consumer