Sweetening soft drinks: What to know about sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and their alternatives
For decades, Coke and the makers of other soft drinks have generally used high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners in their products manufactured in the U.S. But American consumers are increasingly looking for food and drinks with fewer and more natural ingredients, and beverage companies are responding.
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CBC
42 minutes ago
- CBC
Trump says U.S. strikes framework trade deal with EU that puts blanket 15% tariff on bloc
The United States has struck a framework trade deal with Europe, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, averting a spiralling row between two allies who account for almost a third of global trade. The deal, which includes a 15 per cent tariff on EU goods entering the U.S. and significant EU purchases of U.S. energy and military equipment, may bring welcome clarity for EU companies. However, the baseline tariff of 15 per cent could be seen by many in Europe as a poor outcome compared to the initial European ambition of a zero-for-zero tariff deal, although it is better than the threatened 30 per cent rate. The announcement came after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled to Scotland for talks with Trump to push a hard-fought deal over the line. Trump, who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S. trade deficits, has so far reeled in agreements with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has failed to deliver on a promise of "90 deals in 90 days." Trump has periodically railed against the European Union, saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. His main bugbear is the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 reached $235 billion US, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The EU points to the U.S. surplus in services, which it says partially redresses the balance.
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Trump begins EU trade discussions at golf resort meeting in Scotland
President Donald Trump headed into high-stakes talks Sunday with a top European official demanding fairer trade with the 27-member European Union and threatening steep tariffs to achieve that while insisting the United States will not go below 15 per cent import taxes. Make-or-break talks could head off punishing U.S. tariffs and promised retaliation from Europe that could send shock waves through economies around the globe. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, seated next to Trump at his golf resort on the Scottish coast, called for a rebalancing of bilateral trade worth billions of dollars between the vital partners. Speaking to reporters before their private meeting, she and Trump put the chances of reaching an agreement at 50-50 as Friday's White House deadline neared. 'This is bigger than any other deal,' Trump said. He suggested they could cut a deal in just a short time. Story continues below advertisement Trump called von der Leyen 'highly respected' and meeting with her at his Turnberry golf course, where he played in the morning, was an honor. 'The main sticking point,' the Republican president said, was 'fairness.' View image in full screen President Donald Trump meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin). For months, Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners, including the EU. Trump has hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' the currently scheduled tariff rate of 30 per cent. During the remarks before the media Sunday, he pointed to a recent U.S. agreement with Japan that set tariff rates for many goods at 15 per cent and suggested the EU could agree to something similar. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Asked if he would be willing to accept tariff rates lower than that, Trump said 'no.' Story continues below advertisement Their meeting came after Trump played golfed for the second straight day at his Turnberry course on the southwest coast of Scotland, this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. The president's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. View image in full screen US President Donald Trump plays golf at his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, during his five-day private trip to the country. Picture date: Sunday July 27, 2025. (PA Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Wire). A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course. Joining von der Leyen were Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief trade negotiator; Björn Seibert, the head of von der Leyen's Cabinet; Sabine Weyand, the commission's directorate-general for trade, and Tomas Baert, head of the trade and agriculture at the EU's delegation to the U.S. Story continues below advertisement 1:06 Trump visits Scotland to open new golf resort, sparking mixed local response The U.S. and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened the 30 per cent tariff rate. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but is now firm, the administration insists. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place, Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told 'Fox News Sunday.' He added, however, that even after that 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen.' Lutnick said the EU 'needs to make a deal and wants to make a deal and they are flying to Scotland to make a deal with President Trump. The question is do they offer President Trump a good enough deal that is worth it for him to step off of the 30 per cent tariffs that he set.' Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen President Donald Trump meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin). Without an agreement, the EU says it is prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer and Boeing airplanes. If Trump eventually makes good on his threat of tariffs against Europe, it could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the United States. The U.S. and Britain, meanwhile, announced a trade framework in May and a larger agreement last month during the Group of Seven meeting in Canada. Trump says that deal is concluded and that he and Starmer will discuss other matters, though the White House has suggested it still needs some polishing.
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
Canada's homebuilding industry feeling strain of U.S. tariffs on costs, supply chain
As a tariff storm blew in from south of the border earlier this year, many industries in Canada, including the home building sector, feared the unknown ahead of them. With stakeholders already keenly aware of the need to rapidly scale up housing supply and improve Canada's housing affordability gap, blanket tariffs and more targeted material-specific levies meant additional unwelcome obstacles to overcome. That included a potential need to slow down the pace of construction as supply chains shifted and key construction parts became more expensive. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'I would say that's been borne out,' said Cheryl Shindruk, executive vice-president of Geranium Homes, a residential developer in southern Ontario. 'It's difficult to pinpoint what exactly is the cost impact, but we certainly can say that there is an impact in terms of business confidence and … having materials when they need them in a timely manner.' About six months after U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the White House, many in the home construction sector say unpredictability persists around the cost and timing of obtaining the materials they need. For Geranium, that's meant having to pivot on the fly when it comes to the supply chains it's long relied on. Shindruk said the firm is now increasingly sourcing materials made in Canada, such as brick and stone, and doubling down on products typically imported from other countries besides the U.S. That includes steel, which it sources from countries including South Korea, Portugal and China — allowing it to avoid surtaxes on American steel in response to Trump's tariffs. But she said some materials simply can't be replicated in domestic or other international markets. For instance, a component in the layered glass windows used by Geranium continues to be sourced from the U.S. due to patent issues. The company has essentially decided to eat the extra costs. 'It's not like switching on a switch and all of a sudden those materials that used to be sourced from the U.S, which are significant, can now be produced in Canada,' she said. 'Where that's not realistic, then items are continuing to be sourced from the U.S. and (we're) paying the tariff.' Among products hit hardest by the trade war, Canadian Home Builders' Association CEO Kevin Lee highlighted appliances, interior doors and carpeting. In some cases, he said builders have looked for substitutions to their typical input materials. 'Where somebody might have been getting carpet in the past, they're saying 'You know what, we can move to vinyl plank,'' he said. Others are getting creative by stockpiling materials to avoid potential shortages later on. 'They're taking advantage of the availability of acquiring it and then having it available for the future, which then increases the overhead because you're holding on to that material, rather than acquiring it when you need it,' Shindruk said. With early concerns about the effects of the trade war, Greater Toronto Area-based Altree Developments had forecast a three to five per cent hit to its overall budget, said the company's president and CEO, Zev Mandelbaum. That figure has since decreased due to more Canadian material being available than first anticipated, said Mandelbaum. But he said the roller-coaster of tariff developments — from the latest threat of additional levies to hope that ongoing negotiations will soon lead to a new trade deal — has made it 'impossible' to plan ahead. He added his company has seen a far greater impact on the revenue side of the business over the past six months, as economic uncertainty drove down buyer demand. 'It was more the fear of just … economic instability in Canada that stopped house buying and stopped people from wanting to invest, whether it be locals looking for homes or foreigners looking to invest in the country,' he said. 'That alienation caused us to have less sales, and because of that, that put even more pressure on construction costs.' In its housing forecast for the year, published in February, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. predicted a trade war between Canada and the U.S. — combined with other factors such as reduced immigration targets — would likely slow the economy and limit housing activity. The national housing agency had also said Canada was set for a slowdown in housing starts over the next three years — despite remaining above the 10-year average — due to fewer condominiums being built, as investor interest lags and demand from young families wanes. As of June, year-to-date housing starts totalled 114,411 across regions with a population of 10,000 or greater, up four per cent from the first half of 2024. Despite that boost in new construction, a regional analysis shows provinces with industries more exposed to tariffs are experiencing a slowdown, said CMHC chief economist Mathieu Laberge. He noted Ontario's housing starts have dropped around 26 per cent to date year-over-year, while B.C. has seen an eight per cent decline. In Ontario, five of the 10 most tariff-impacted cities also recorded an increase in mortgage arrears during the spring. Laberge said the trade war, or associated macroeconomic factors, likely prompted layoffs in those regions, which meant people couldn't pay their mortgage. He said he expects that will eventually translate to a lower number of homes being built. 'This is a slow filter through, but it's a real one. We see it happening — although maybe not in the housing starts or resales yet,' Laberge said. Lee said the industry is already noticing those effects. 'The big problem now is we're just not getting the kind of starts we need and there's a lot of concern in the industry now,' Lee said. Before tariffs, he said some regions, such as Atlantic Canada and the Prairies, had started to see housing starts rebound from a national lull that was fuelled by previously high interest rates. Other provinces, such as Ontario and B.C. — where houses remain the most expensive — hadn't yet reached similar levels of new construction. 'What's happened with the trade war is that it's made things worse in Ontario and B.C. and we are seeing things slow down a little bit in Atlantic Canada and the Prairies,' said Lee. 'So it's having a dampening effect everywhere.' His association's second-quarter survey of its membership found 87 per cent of builders stated they have concerns about the well-being of their business over the next 12 months. Around 35 per cent said they have had to recently lay off workers and have no current plans to rehire — up from 21 per cent a year ago. 'It's getting quite serious,' said Lee. 'There's just a great deal of concern in the market.' 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