Abstract
Adverse health consequences of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages are frequently cited as an example of market failure, justifying government intervention in the marketplace, usually in the form of taxation. However, declining sales of sugar-sweetened beverages in Australia and a corresponding increase in sales of drinks containing non-nutritive sweeteners, in the absence of significant government regulation, appear to reflect market forces at work. If so, the public health challenge in relation to sugar-sweetened beverages may have less to do with regulating the market and more to do with harnessing it. Contrary to assertions that consumers fail to appreciate the links between their choice of beverage and its health consequences, the health conscious consumer appears to be driving the changes taking place in the beverage market. With the capacity to meet consumer expectations for convenience and indulgence without unwanted kilojoules, drinks containing non-nutritive sweeteners enable the “small change” in health behaviour that individuals are willing to consider. Despite the low barriers involved in perpetuating the current trend of replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with drinks containing non-nutritive sweeteners, some public health advocates remain cautious about advocating this dietary change. In contrast, the barriers to taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages appear high.
Highlights
The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been associated with increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes in the United States and lowering intake of these beverages is a focus of public health nutrition in several countries [1,2]
The trends in sales of sugar-sweetened beverages observed in this study bring the current public health paradigm for addressing the health consequences of these drinks into question
These recent beverage trends in Australia and the United States are consistent with public health objectives they are occurring in the absence of significant taxation or government regulation of sugar-sweetened beverages, suggesting other factors are at play
Summary
The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been associated with increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes in the United States and lowering intake of these beverages is a focus of public health nutrition in several countries [1,2]. Nutrients 2015, 7 beverages and health frequently position it as an example of market failure and recommend government intervention in the marketplace, usually in the form of taxation of these beverages [3] Dominant is this view that other interpretations on the drivers of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and viable, alternative strategies for lowering their use by the general public are seldom discussed. This paper reviews a recent study that demonstrated a long-term downward trend in purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages in Australia and a corresponding uptrend in consumption of drinks containing non-nutritive sweeteners Factors underpinning these trends, the barriers to their continuance and the relevance the prevailing public health paradigm for lowering intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages are considered
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