Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes: Lessons to date and the future of taxation

Popkin, Barry M.; Ng, Shu Wen

doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1003412

Cited by 68 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…A small tax rate is insufficient to provide a meaningful impact on health outcomes and could take a long time before demonstrating a favourable effect [57], whereas a higher impact on health could be observed when applying a higher tax rate [52]. Evidence suggested that the tax rate should be up to 20% to reveal a better health outcome [10,58]. This evidence, to some extent, indicates the benefit of a higher tax rate on consumption and purchasing behaviours.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of a sugar sweetened beverage tax on body mass index and obesity in Thailand: A modelling study

Phonsuk¹,

Vongmongkol²,

Ponguttha³

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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Background The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes to address obesity. Thailand has just launched the new tax rates for SSB in 2017; however, the existing tax rate is not as high as the 20% recommended by the WHO. The objective for this study was to estimate the impacts of an SSB tax on body mass index (BMI) and obesity prevalence in Thailand under three different scenarios based on existing SSB and recommended tax rates. Methods A base model was built to estimate the impacts of an SSB tax on SSB consumption, energy intake, BMI, and obesity prevalence. Literature review was conducted to estimate pass on rate, price elasticity, energy compensation, and energy balance to weight change. Different tax rates (11%, 20% and 25%) were used in the model. The model assumed no substitution effects, model values were based on international data since there was no empirical Thai data available. Differential effects by income groups were not estimated. Findings When applying 11%, 20%, and 25% tax rates together with 100% pass on rate and an -1.30 own-price elasticity, the SSB consumption decreased by 14%, 26%, and 32%, respectively. The 20% and 25% price increase in SSB price tended to reduce higher energy intake, weight status and BMI, when compared with an 11% increase in existing price increase of SSB. The percentage changes of obesity prevalence of 11%, 20% and 25% SSB tax rates were estimated to be 1.73%, 3.83%, and 4.91%, respectively. Conclusions A higher SSB tax (20% and 25%) was estimated to reduce consumption and consequently decrease obesity prevalence. Since Thailand has already endorsed the excise tax structure, the new excise tax structure for SSB should be scaled up to a 20% or 25% tax rate if the SSB consumption change does not meet a favourable goal.

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Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of a sugar sweetened beverage tax on body mass index and obesity in Thailand: A modelling study

Phonsuk¹,

Vongmongkol²,

Ponguttha³

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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“…Meanwhile, in Slovenia (2020), about one third (N = 310; 34.5%) of soft drinks have a TSC above 8 g/100 ml. Although similar benefits of taxation have been seen in other countries, such reformulations might considerably increase the use of LNCS (52), and this could affect health risk analyses. At the same time, LNCS maintain or even intensify the sweetness of drinks, which hinders the main public health message to reduce the preferences for sweetness in our diets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

The Sharp Rise in the Use of Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners in Non-Alcoholic Beverages in Slovenia: An Update Based on 2020 Data

Hafner

Pravst

2021

Front. Nutr.

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Reducing added sugars in non-alcoholic beverages is an important public health goal, which can result in increased use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS). The aim of this study was to investigate recent changes in the use of LNCS in non-alcoholic beverages in the Slovenian food supply. The national branded foods dataset was updated with beverages available in 2020, and compared with previous datasets. The data were extracted from food labels. In 2020, N = 1,650 unique beverages were found in shops from five different retailers, covering the majority of the national market. The use of LNCS increased from 13.2% in 2017 and 15.5% in 2019 to 20.2% in 2020, with a major growth in soft drinks (16.8, 19.6, and 26.7%, respectively). We observed a significant growth of beverages containing both LNCS and added sugar. Results were also consistent with sales data, which showed that increased offer of beverages with LNCS also resulted in similarly increased sales of such beverages. The average energy and total sugar content in non-alcoholic beverages decreased, which reflects both the higher percentage of beverages with LNCS, and also the reduction of the sugar content in beverages with only added sugar. Analyses of product-specific reformulation practices highlighted reduced sugar content in 16.8% of products, and in 3.6% with the use of LNCS. The most commonly used LNCS are acesulfame K, sucralose, and aspartame. Typically, combinations are used, however steviol glycosides, sucralose and saccharin are also used alone, in most cases combined with added sugar. The results indicated rapid changes in the use of LNCS in non-alcoholic beverages in the Slovenian food supply, making further monitoring of this area highly relevant.

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“…The policy measures ranked the second and third highest were a health-promoting value-added tax on foods and beverages, and a tax on SSB. Although health-related food and beverages taxes -SSB taxes in particular -have gained momentum across the globe (35), so far the German government has been reluctant to consider this approach. However, it may gain traction in light of the fiscal implications of the Covid-19 pandemic, and a number of policymakers and political parties in Germany have come forward in support of the use of economic instruments in nutrition policy (36).…”

Section: Policy Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition Policies in Germany: A Systematic Assessment with the Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)

Philipsborn

Geffert

Klinger

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Objective: To systematically assess Germany's nutrition policies, to benchmark them against international best practices, and to identify priority policy actions to improve population-level nutrition in Germany. Design: We applied the Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI), a methodological framework developed by the INFORMAS network. Qualitative content analysis of laws, directives and other documents formed the basis of a multi-staged, structured consultation process. Setting: Germany. Participants: The expert consultation process included 55 experts from academia, public administration, and civil society. Results: Germany lags behind international best practices in several key policy areas. For 18 policy indicators, the degree of implementation compared to international best practices was rated as very low, for 21 as low, for 8 as intermediate, and for none as high. In particular, indicators on food taxation, regulation of food marketing, and retail and food service sector policies were rated as very low to low. Identified priority actions included the binding implementation of nutrition standards for schools and kindergartens, a reform of the value added tax on foods and beverages, a sugar-sweetened beverage tax and stricter regulation of food marketing directed at children. Conclusions: The results show that Germany makes insufficient use of the potential of evidence-informed health-promoting nutrition policies. Adopting international best practices in key policy areas could help to reduce the burden of nutrition-related chronic disease and related inequalities in nutrition and health in Germany. Implementation of relevant policies requires political leadership, a broad societal dialogue, and evidence-informed advocacy by civil society, including the scientific community. Keywords: nutrition, food environments, public policies, public health, health promotion

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Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes: Lessons to date and the future of taxation

Cited by 68 publications

References 40 publications

Impacts of a sugar sweetened beverage tax on body mass index and obesity in Thailand: A modelling study

Impacts of a sugar sweetened beverage tax on body mass index and obesity in Thailand: A modelling study

The Sharp Rise in the Use of Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners in Non-Alcoholic Beverages in Slovenia: An Update Based on 2020 Data

Nutrition Policies in Germany: A Systematic Assessment with the Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI)

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