Problems and Solutions of Taxation to Control Unhealthy Goods: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Taxes on unhealthy goods, in addition to reducing the consumption of these goods, preventing related diseases, and promoting public health, can provide significant financial resources for the health sector. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the problems and solutions of taxation to control the consumption of unhealthy goods to improve public health. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in 2021. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were held to collect information. Sampling was performed by purposive and snowball methods with 31 managers and key experts. The data were analyzed using the content analysis method. MAXQDA software (version 12) was used for classification and coding. Results: This study labeled 2 main themes and 10 subthemes. The main themes included problems of controlling unhealthy goods and solutions to controlling unhealthy goods. Poor decision-making, planning, and execution, production-related problems, smuggling and poor supervision, increased consumption of harmful goods, conflicts of interest, and advertisements of unhealthy goods are the most important of these problems. Imposing taxes, duties, and price hikes, providing alternatives, paying attention to all determinants of supply and demand, and taxation on advertising are also solutions to control unhealthy products. Conclusions: The health level of individuals should be improved by imposing taxes on unhealthy goods, determining accurate tax rates, and simultaneously using measures, such as providing alternatives to unhealthy goods and controlling advertisements. Paying serious attention to the list of harmful goods, coordination and cooperation of related organizations in formulating and implementing tax policies, and providing suitable alternatives to harmful products are the practical suggestions of this study.