The advocacy coalition of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes in Indonesia

Abstract

The Ministry of Finance of Indonesia has put sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) taxation on its agenda since 2020 to address the need for health financing, as outlined in the National Medium-Term Development Plan for 2020–2024. However, the adoption process of this fiscal policy has been slow. This study aims to generate insights into the actors involved in the discourse of SSB tax adoption in Indonesia to inform their advocacy and communication efforts using the Advocacy Coalition Framework and Discourse Network Analysis. The analysis was conducted using data extracted from 1733 statements collected from 200 online web domains and subdomains, divided into three timeframes of the policy process. The analysis identified actors supporting and opposing the adoption of SSB tax. The discourse network also identified key advocacy coalitions and organisations in the discussion on SSB tax adoption in Indonesia. The results indicate that there are diverse network patterns in each timeframe and reveal the process and focus of the policy change. The Ministry of Finance had the most significant influence on the discourse, with actors from civil society organisations and universities involved in the process of policy change through evidence-based policy recommendations. Meanwhile, economic actors contributed to the debate on the potential harm of tax adoption to the industry. These findings can inform the policy process and ensure the successful adoption of the SSB tax in Indonesia.