Sugar-sweetened Beverages Price Research Articles

Own price elasticities of the demand for sugar-sweetened beverages in Bangladesh

BackgroundConsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is a major global public health problem. Increasing the price of SSBs through taxation is an effective tool to reduce SSB consumption. Price-elasticity estimates are useful in measuring the effect of taxation on consumption. We estimated the own price elasticities of demand for SSBs in Bangladesh, which will inform how SSB taxes could affect behaviour.MethodsWe used Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2016 data, which is a nationally representative dataset at the household level across the country and is conducted using stratified random sampling method. Deaton’s method was used to estimate the price elasticities for SSBs in Bangladesh.ResultsWe found that the own price elasticity for SSBs varied between − 0.53% to -1.17% by types of SSBs in Bangladesh. The price elasticity for soft drinks was − 1.17, indicating that if the price of soft drinks increases by 10% via taxes, the quantity consumed of these beverages would reduce by 11.7%.ConclusionThis is the first study that estimates the own price elasticities of demand for SSBs in Bangladesh. Our results suggest to raise SSB prices through increased taxation in order to reduce SSB consumption and ensure public health gains in Bangladesh.

Evaluation of Changes in Prices and Purchases Following Implementation of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes Across the US

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes are promoted as key policies to reduce cardiometabolic diseases and other conditions, but comprehensive analyses of SSB taxes in the US have been difficult because of the absence of sufficiently large data samples and methods limitations. To estimate changes in SSB prices and purchases following SSB taxes in 5 large US cities. In this cross-sectional study with an augmented synthetic control analysis, changes in prices and purchases of SSBs were estimated following SSB tax implementation in Boulder, Colorado; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Oakland, California; Seattle, Washington; and San Francisco, California. Changes in SSB prices (in US dollars) and purchases (volume in ounces) in these cities in the 2 years following tax implementation were estimated and compared with control groups constructed from other cities. Changes in adjacent, untaxed areas were assessed to detect any increase in cross-border purchases. Data used for this analysis spanned from January 1, 2012, to February 29, 2020, and were analyzed between June 1, 2022, and September 29, 2023. The main outcomes were the changes in SSB prices and volume purchased. Using nutritional information, 5500 unique universal product codes were classified as SSBs, according to tax designations. The sample included 26 338 stores-496 located in treated localities, 1340 in bordering localities, and 24 502 in the donor pool. Prices of SSBs increased by an average of 33.1% (95% CI, 14.0% to 52.2%; P < .001) during the 2 years following tax implementation, corresponding to an average price increase of 1.3¢ per oz and a 92% tax pass-through rate from distributors to consumers. SSB purchases declined in total volume by an average of 33.0% (95% CI, -2.2% to -63.8%; P = .04) following tax implementation, corresponding to a -1.00 price elasticity of demand. The observed price increase and corresponding volume decrease immediately followed tax implementation, and both outcomes were sustained in the months thereafter. No evidence of increased cross-border purchases following tax implementation was found. In this cross-sectional study, SSB taxes led to substantial, consistent declines in SSB purchases across 5 taxed cities following price increases associated with those taxes. Scaling SSB taxes nationally could yield substantial public health benefits.

Taxing sugar sweetened beverages in Indonesia: Projections of demand change and fiscal revenue.

The global trend of diets high in sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) is associated with a high risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). To reduce SSB consumption on a population level, SSB taxes have become a popular policy solution. In Indonesia, although the prevalence of obesity has doubled in the past decade (11.7% in 2010 to 21.8% in 2018), SSB taxes have not yet been implemented. Utilizing the 2021 Indonesian household socioeconomic survey (SUSENAS), this study estimated price elasticities and projected the plausible effects of implementing an SSB tax on consumers' demand for SSBs and the associated government revenue using the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) model. Five SSB groups were studied: 1) manufactured liquid milk; 2) sweetened condense milk; 3) instant coffee; 4) tea drinks and fizzy drinks with CO2; 5) fruit juices, "health" drinks, and energy drinks. The overall results showed that the non-milk SSB groups were price elastic. Probing deeper into the substitutions for SSB across categories, we found both substitutionary and complementary effects. Our analysis revealed that increasing SSB prices by 20% would reduce the demand for SSBs on average by 17.5% (14.3%-18.6% for each SSB group) and generate additional state revenue up to IDR 3,628.3 billion per year (approximately US$ 238.5 million or 0.2% of total tax revenue in 2022). Considering the health and economic impacts of high consumption of SSBs, this study provides empirical evidence that imposing taxes on SSBs could be an effective measure to reduce public consumption and to generate tax revenue for financing health programs that address obesity and NCDs in Indonesia.

Impact of soda tax on beverage price, sale, purchase, and consumption in the US: a systematic review and meta-analysis of natural experiments.

As a primary source of added sugars in the US diet, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is presumed to contribute to obesity prevalence and poor oral health. We systematically synthesized and quantified evidence from US-based natural experiments concerning the impact of SSB taxes on beverage prices, sales, purchases, and consumption. A keyword and reference search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and EconLit from the inception of an electronic bibliographic database to Oct 31, 2022. Meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled effect of soda taxes on SSB consumption, prices, passthrough rate, and purchases. Twenty-six natural experiments, all adopting a difference-in-differences approach, were included. Studies assessed soda taxes in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco in California, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, Boulder in Colorado, Seattle in Washington, and Cook County in Illinois. Tax rates ranged from 1 to 2 ¢/oz. The imposition of the soda tax was associated with a 1.06 ¢/oz. (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90, 1.22) increase in SSB prices and a 27.3% (95% CI = 19.3, 35.4%) decrease in SSB purchases. The soda tax passthrough rate was 79.7% (95% CI = 65.8, 93.6%). A 1 ¢/oz. increase in soda tax rate was associated with increased prices of SSBs by 0.84 ¢/oz (95% CI = 0.33, 1.35). Soda taxes could be effective policy leverage to nudge people toward purchasing and consuming fewer SSBs. Future research should examine evidence-based classifications of SSBs, targeted use of revenues generated by taxes to reduce health and income disparities, and the feasibility of redesigning the soda tax to improve efficiency.

Enhanced Measurement of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Marketing to Young Immigrant Children in Grocery Store Environments.

The marketing of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) within grocers is an obesogenic factor that negatively impacts children's nutritional behavior, specifically for people from racial and ethnic minority groups, such as immigrants. We aimed to develop and employ a methodology that more precisely assesses the availability, price, and promotion of SSBs to young immigrant children within independently owned grocery stores. A case comparison design was used to explore the differences in the grocery store landscape of SSB marketing by conducting an enhanced Nutrition Environment Measures Survey-SSB (NEMS-SSB) within 30 grocery stores in the Hispanic and Latino enclaves in Southwest Detroit, in the Arab and Chaldean enclaves in North-central Detroit, and in Warren, Hamtramck, and Dearborn, in comparison with 48 grocers in Metro Detroit. Unsweetened, plant-based, and organic toddler and infant beverages, as well as questions about marketing, were added to the original NEMS to capture the promotion tactics used in marketing SSBs. NEMS-SSB scores revealed that, in the immigrant enclaves, there was a significantly higher availability of SSBs in grocery stores (-2.38), and they had lower prices than those in the comparison group (-0.052). Unsweetened, plant-based, and organic beverages were unavailable in 97% of all participating grocery stores across both groups. Signage featuring cartoon characters was the most frequent in-store SSB marketing tactic across both groups. Widespread SSB marketing toward toddlers within the grocery stores in immigrant enclaves could be linked with the higher early childhood obesity prevalence among the immigrant population. Our findings can assist local and national organizations in developing and implementing healthy eating interventions. This study must be repeated in other immigrant enclaves across states to provide comparable results.

Changes in sugar-sweetened beverage purchases across the price distribution after the implementation of a tax in Mexico: a before-and-after analysis

BackgroundA tax of one-Mexican peso per liter of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) came into effect in January 2014 in Mexico as a national health policy to tackle the high overweight and obesity prevalence. Previous studies have shown an overall reduction in SSB purchases after the tax implementation. However, it remains unknown whether and to what extent SSB consumers switched to cheaper taxed beverages, attenuating the potential effect of the policy. Our study’s objective was to estimate changes in household purchases of taxed SSBs by tertiles of SSB prices (low, middle, and high) in urban areas after the SSB tax implementation in 2014.MethodsBased on purchase data for 2012–2015 from households living in 54 Mexican cities with a population > 50,000 inhabitants, we calculated unit-value SSB prices for the full period and sorted them on a monthly basis to create monthly price tertiles. We merged these price tertiles to household purchases and created average monthly ml/capita/day SSB purchases by price tertile at the city level. We assessed SSB purchase switching patterns before and after the tax implementation through price-tertile stratified linear models. The main variable in the models was a dummy indicator that allowed us to identify the pre-tax period (2012–13) and post-tax period (2014–15). We controlled our models for time trends and contextual economic variables.ResultsIn the regression adjusted models, we found a statistically significant purchase reduction ranging between 10.80 and 13.79 ml/capita/day (p-value < 0.001) across taxed beverages from the middle-price SSB after the tax implementation. We observed no statistically significant reductions in purchases of low-price SSBs and high-price SSBs.ConclusionsOur findings show purchase reductions in the middle-price SSBs, which represents ≈30% of the overall SSB purchases in urban Mexico. Future studies should be conducted to test if the redesign of the current the tax, by either doubling the tax amount or taxing sugar content, might reduce more effectively purchases across all SSBs.

Taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages in South Africa: Perspectives of consumers in Cape Town.

Background:Globally, fiscal measures are deemed effective in combating the obesity epidemic at population level. A health promotional levy (HPL) on sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) was implemented in April 2018 in South Africa to reduce sugar consumption.Design and methods:This cross-sectional, descriptive study investigated consumers’ understanding and opinion of the HPL, and impact on consumption of SSBs. Data was collected outside 15 grocery stores, within four health sub-districts of the City of Cape Town. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was completed with literate, adult consumers (N = 696).Results:Participants (46.0%) were aware of the HPL but regarded it insufficient to change purchasing behaviour (55.4%). The lower income group (56.4%) was most affected by the increased price of SSBs. Those who agreed (46.8%) that the levy would help to reduce the prevalence of obesity was significantly more likely to notice a price increase in SSBs (54.5%) (p < 0.01) and had a higher education level (p < 0.01). Overall, self-reported consumption of SSBs decreased by 7.7% since the HPL was enacted. Participants who were aware of the detrimental effect of consuming large amounts of sugar, were more likely to change their behaviour (p < 0.01).Conclusions:Participants were receptive for legislative measures to combat the prevalence of obesity but lacked clarity of the goal and implementation of the HPL. A multipronged approach is crucial to lower sugar intake sustainably and an environment which offers healthy alternatives to SSBs. A higher HPL combined with transparency of how revenue is utilised could enhance the impact of the sugar tax strategy.

Perceptions of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax amongst tertiary accounting students in South Africa: a comparative study

An excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to reduce excessive sugar consumption in South Africa came into effect on 1 April 2018. This study aimed to investigate perceptions of a limited sample of South Africans regarding the sugar-sweetened beverages tax based on certain economic factors, and whether participants perceived any likely benefit from the tax. These perceptions were compared with perceptions identified in selected foreign jurisdictions that have levied such a tax. A survey questionnaire was selected as the primary method of data collection. This questionnaire was administered to post-graduate Accounting students, aged twenty-one years and older, studying at three residential universities in South Africa. An extensive analysis of literature available on sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, both locally and internationally, was conducted. The two main constructs (construct 1: perception of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax and the price of sugar-sweetened beverages and construct 2: the social impact of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. This study found that there is a significant association between gender and perception that the sugary beverage levy will be beneficial to health, with female perceptions of the benefit of the sugary beverage levy being greater than that of males. The study found that perception of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax may depend on several factors, closely linked to individual beliefs and cultures, and thus different populations may have different perceptions of the tax. The findings about sugar-sweetened beverage consumption trends across gender, ethnicities and physical activity groups can help guide targeted strategies to reduce consumption.

Comparing taxes as a percentage of sugar-sweetened beverage prices in Latin America and the Caribbean

SummaryBackgroundExcise taxes can be used to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), an important preventable risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. This study aimed to compare novel standardized indicators of the level of taxes applied on SSBs as a percentage of the price across beverage categories in Latin America and the Caribbean.MethodsWe used a method developed by the Pan American Health Organization and adapted from the World Health Organization's tobacco tax share. The analysis focused on the most sold brand of five categories of non-alcoholic beverages. Data were collected by surveying ministries of finance and reviewing tax legislation in effect as of March 2019.FindingsOf the 27 countries analyzed, 17 applied excise taxes on SSBs. Of these, median excise taxes represented the highest share of the price for large sugar-sweetened carbonated drinks (6·5%) and the lowest for energy drinks (2·3%). In countries where excise taxes were applied on bottled waters, tax incidence exceeded the one applied on most SSBs. Overall, excise tax shares were higher in Latin America than in the Caribbean. Including all other indirect taxes (e.g., value added tax), median total tax shares were between 12·8% and 17·5%. At least two countries earmarked part of SSB excise tax revenues for health purposes.InterpretationExcise tax levels are generally low in the region. From a public health perspective, tax rates could be increased, and tax designs improved (e.g., excluding bottled waters). The method describe here provides a feasible and informative way to monitor SSB taxation and could be replicated in other regions and over time.FundingBloomberg Philanthropies through the Global Health Advocacy Incubator.

Effect of excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in Catalonia, Spain, three and a half years after its introduction

BackgroundThe World Health Organisation urges countries to levy specific excise taxes on SSBs. Currently, more than 50 countries have introduced some type of tax on SSBs. In March 2017, the Autonomous Region of Catalonia approved the introduction of a tiered excise tax on SSBs for public health reasons. To evaluate the effect of the Catalonian excise tax on the price and purchase of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and their possible substitutes, i.e., non-sugar-sweetened beverages (NSSBs) and bottled water, three and half years after its introduction, and 1 year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe analysed purchase data on soft drinks, fruit drinks and water, sourced from the Ministry of Agriculture food-consumption panel, in a random sample of 12,500 households across Spain. We applied the synthetic control method to infer the causal impact of the intervention, based on a Bayesian structural time-series model which predicts the counterfactual response that would have occurred in Catalonia, had no intervention taken place.ResultsAs compared to the predicted (counterfactual) response, per capita purchases of SSBs fell by 0.17 l three and a half years after implementing the SSB tax in Catalonia, a 16.7% decline (95% CI: − 23.18, − 8.74). The mean SSB price rose by 0.11 €/L, an 11% increase (95% CI: 9.0, 14.1). Although there were no changes in mean NSSB prices, NSSB consumption rose by 0.19 l per capita, a 21.7% increase (95% CI: 18.25, 25.54). There were no variations in the price or consumption of bottled water. The effects were progressively greater over time, with SSB purchases decreasing by 10.4% at 1 year, 12.3% at 2 years, 15.3% at 3 years, and 16.7% at three and a half years of the tax’s introduction.ConclusionsThe Catalonian SSB excise tax had a sustained and progressive impact over time, with a fall in consumption of as much as 16.7% three and half years after its introduction. The observed NSSB substitution effect should be borne in mind when considering the application of this type of tax to the rest of Spain.

Changes in Weight-Related Outcomes Among Adolescents Following Consumer Price Increases of Taxed Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Following the implementation of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in Mexico in 2014, SSB prices increased by about 10% on average, but differently across cities. It remains unclear how observed SSB price changes are associated with adolescent weight-related outcomes. To compare weight-related outcomes among adolescents living in cities with differential SSB price changes before and after the SSB tax was implemented in Mexico. Associations between differential SSB price changes and changes in weight-related outcomes were examined overall and by sex among 12 654 adolescents aged 10 to 18 years born between 1999 and 2002 living in 39 cities in Mexico. Multivariate regressions with individual fixed effects were applied on longitudinal individual-level yearly clinical data (height and weight) from 2012 to 2017 collected by the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) and merged with city-level SSB price data from 2011 to 2016 collected by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). Data were analyzed from July 2018 to July 2021. Yearly city-level changes in SSB prices between 2011 and 2016. Age- and sex-specific body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) percentile and indicator for overweight or obesity if BMI was at or above the 85th percentile. Before 2014, 46% of 12 654 adolescents (6850 girls and 5804 boys) included in this study had obesity or overweight. The mean (SD) age was 11.38 (1.08) years. Among girls, a 10% SSB price increase was associated with a 1.3 percentage point absolute decrease (95% CI, -2.19 to -0.36; P = .008) or a 3% relative decrease in overweight or obesity prevalence within 2 years of a price change. For girls with BMI at or above the 75th percentile pretax, this price increase was associated with a 0.59 lower BMI percentile (95% CI, -1.08 to -0.10; P = .02) or a 0.67% relative decrease. Improved outcomes for girls were observed in cities where price increases were greater than 10% after the tax. No such associations were observed for boys. In this study, increased SSB prices were associated with decreased overweight or obesity prevalence among girls but not among boys. Improvements in outcomes were small, and mostly observed for girls with heavier weight and in cities where price increases after the tax were greater than 10%.

The Effect of Price Changes and Teaspoon Labelling on Intention to Purchase Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Childhood obesity is a major public health concern and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a known contributor. SSB taxation and food labelling have been proposed as policies to reduce consumption by changing purchasing behaviours. The study aimed to analyse caregivers' preferences on commonly purchased SSBs in Australia and to determine the effect of price increases and teaspoon labelling on their purchasing intentions. We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to obtain data about choices between SSB and non-SSB alternatives. 563 caregivers, who had young children aged 3-7years, completed the experiment online. 286 were randomly allocated to receive choice sets with plain labelling while 277 were assigned to teaspoon labelling. Each participant completed nine choice scenarios where they chose between six SSB and non-SSB beverage options or a no-beverage option, with beverage prices varying between scenarios. While hypothetical, price and teaspoon labelling for sugar content for each beverage was obtained from an informal market survey. Responses from the DCE were modelled using random parameters logit within a random utility theory framework. Household income and children's consumption volumes of soft drink were used to explore preference heterogeneity. Using mixed logit as the final model, we found that higher reduction in intended purchases was observed for soft drink and fruit drink in teaspoon labelling than it was in plain labelling. Participants exposed to teaspoon labelling intended to purchase less of flavoured milk and fruit juice compared to those exposed to plain labelling. Compared to baseline prices, a hypothetical 20% increase in SSB prices and the presentation of 'teaspoons of sugar' labelling were predicted to reduce intentional SSB purchases and increase intentional non-SSB purchases. Within each labelling group, there were no significant differences of intentional purchases between the highest and the lowest income quintile, high and low consumers of soft drinks. However, compared to plain labelling, teaspoon labelling was predicted to strongly influence intentional purchases of SSBs and non-SSBs. This study suggests that a policy to increase SSB price and include teaspoon labelling would lead to a reduced consumption of SSBs and increased consumption of non-SSBs.

Public health lessons from the soda taxes enacted in France in 2012 and modified in 2018

Abstract Background In 2016, the WHO officially recommended sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxation as a strategy to reduce consumption, stimulate product reformulation and generate revenues for health-related programmes. This recommendation was based on a number of studies and experiments amongst them the 2012 French SSB tax that was redesigned in 2018. In this presentation, we summarize the lessons learnt from the soda taxes in France and offer insights on their potential public health benefits. Methods Our rationale is structured according to the interdisciplinary perspective of the Soda-Tax research consortium (2019-2023), addressing: (1) the soda tax policy change process; (2) the impact on price and purchases; (3) the consumer receptiveness to the tax and; (4) its legal framework and potential application to other foods/nutrients. Results Our overview of evidence highlights that the process leading to the enactment of the 2012 tax was initially based on a public health justification that was later set aside in favour of budgetary concerns. The tax, whose rate was flat and low and whose scope was extended to artificially-sweetened drinks containing no added sugar, generated modest effects on SSB consumption. Yet, it was ground breaking and offered an opportunity to appreciate its equity, to document its acceptance through a population-based survey and its legal viability. Six years later, the new tax comes closer to international recommendations: it is framed within the scope of public health action, focuses on SSBs and its rate is indexed to the quantity of added sugar in the drink. Conclusions The Soda-Tax project will study the degree of policy learning that may have contributed to the evolution of the 2018 tax, as well as the conditions of its implementation, administratively more complex than the previous one. It will also explore the social acceptability of this new tax and the extent to which it results in higher SSB prices, lower consumption and changes in the market. Key messages The design of the 2012 French soda tax was not optimal for public health, but it set a precedent. The 2018 soda tax, closer to international recommendations, deserves further investigation.

Simulating international tax designs on sugar-sweetened beverages in Mexico.

In response to the high prevalence of overweight and obesity, Mexico implemented a volumetric tax of one Mexican peso (MP) per liter of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) in 2014. In contrast to Mexico's volumetric tax design, the United Kingdom (UK) and South Africa (ZA) implemented SSB taxes based on sugar density. This kind of tax is likely to yield larger health benefits than volumetric taxes by imposing a larger tax burden on high-sugar SSB and/or encouraging reformulation. However, sugar-density taxes might yield lower tax revenues. This study aims to simulate the effect of sugar-density taxes as those in the UK and ZA on SSB purchases (in terms of volume and sugar), SSB prices, and tax revenue in Mexico and compare this effect to its counterpart under the current volumetric SSB tax. Additionally, we simulate the effect of sugar-density taxes under different scenarios of reformulation. We conducted all these simulations based on a structural model of demand and supply using household purchase data for 2012-2015 in urban Mexico. We found that the current volumetric one-MP tax led to an SSB purchase reduction of 19% for both volume and sugar and an SSB price increases by MP $1.24. We simulated similar effects under the UK and ZA sugar-density taxes when these taxes were equivalent to the volumetric one-MP tax, and there was no reformulation. When assuming reformulation, the sugar reduction under the sugar-density taxes was up to twice larger than the volumetric one-MP tax. However, we found that the volumetric one-MP tax yielded the largest tax revenue across all tax designs. From a public health perspective, sugar-density taxes are likely to be more effective in tackling the overweight and obesity prevalence in Mexico; however, tax revenue might be lower under these taxes.

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

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. 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. 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. 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.

Are price discounts on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) linked to household SSB purchases? \u2013 a cross-sectional study in a large US household and retail scanner database

BackgroundPrice promotions on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are commonly used by retailers to provide economic incentives for purchasing. Surprisingly, there is a lack of high-quality articles that examine the frequency and magnitude of sugary beverage discounting and consumer responses to discounts. The objective of this study is to quantify the association between exposure to price discounts and SSB purchases.MethodsThis cross-sectional study linked 2016 SSB consumption data from a U.S. household consumer panel (analytic sample N = 11,299 households) and weekly prices at stores where they shopped. We derived percent of the time SSBs were discounted (annual promotion frequency) and the amount of the discount (annual promotion magnitude) and assessed their association with household annual per capita SSB purchase ounces. Linear regression models adjusted for household size, income per capita, age, education, presence of children, race, occupation, region, and urbanicity. We also evaluated whether the association between promotion and purchase varied by socioeconomic status and race subgroups. Data were analyzed in 2019–2020.ResultsOn average, households were exposed to SSBs price promotions 44% of the time. A 10-percentage point increase in annual SSB promotion frequency was associated with 13.7% increase in annual per capita purchasing (P < 0.0001), and a 1-percentage point increase in annual SSB promotion magnitude was associated with 15.3% increase in annual per capita purchasing (P < 0.0001). These associations did no vary significantly across socioeconomic status and race subgroups (Interaction P > 0.2).ConclusionsMore frequent and deeper price promotion was associated with higher annual per capita SSB purchases. Restricting SSB price promotions may be effective at reducing SSB consumption.

Would A National Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax In The United States Be Well Targeted?

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes have been proposed to discourage excessive sugar consumption, but it is unclear how high- vs. low-SSB purchasers respond to such taxes. We first examine heterogeneity in the purchase and financial effects of a national SSB tax across different types of households buying varying amounts of SSBs. We find high-SSB purchasers are less responsive to SSB price changes than low purchasers but make larger absolute reductions in SSB purchases in response to the tax, given their notably greater purchase levels prior to the tax. Nonetheless, the economic burden of the tax falls more heavily on high-SSB purchasers who are more likely comprised of lower-income households. We then investigate whether the income regressivity of the tax will be mitigated if low-income households are targeted by fruit and vegetable (FV) subsidies. We show that depending on the tax pass-through and subsidy rates, FV subsidies can fully offset high-SSB purchasers' tax burdens, and subsidy transfers are distributed relatively uniformly across the SSB purchase distribution of low-income households. Therefore, FV subsidy transfers would be financially more beneficial to low- and moderate-SSB purchasers because they bear smaller shares of the tax burden than high-SSB purchasers.

A rapid review of stocking and marketing practices used to sell sugar-sweetened beverages in U.S. food stores.

SummarySugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a primary source of added sugars in the American diet. Habitual SSB consumption is associated with obesity and noncommunicable disease and is one factor contributing to U.S. health disparities. Public health responses to address marketing‐mix and choice‐architecture (MMCA) strategies used to sell SSB products may be required. Thus, our goal was to identify original research about stocking and marketing practices used to sell SSB in U.S. food stores. We used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) protocol for rapid reviewing. We searched six databases and Google Scholar using key terms focused on store type and SSB products. We characterized results using an MMCA framework with categories place, profile, portion, pricing, promotion, priming or prompting, and proximity. Our search resulted in the identification of 29 articles. Most results focused on profile (e.g., SSB availability) (n = 13), pricing (e.g., SSB prices or discounts) (n = 13), or promotion (e.g., SSB advertisements) (n = 13) strategies. We found some evidence of targeted MMCA practices toward at‐risk consumers and differences by store format, such as increased SSB prominence among supermarkets. The potential for systematic variations in MMCA strategies used to sell SSB requires more research. We discuss implications for public health, health equity, and environmental sustainability.

The effects of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages in Ecuador: An analysis across different income and consumption groups.

To analyze the effects of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in Ecuador, this study estimates a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System model using data from the 2011–2012 National Survey of Income and Expenditure for Urban and Rural Households. We derive own- and cross-price elasticities by income quintiles and consumption deciles for five beverages, including two types of sugary drink: (i) milk, (ii) soft drinks, (iii) water, (iv) other sugary drinks, and (v) coffee and tea. Overall, results show that a 20% increase in the price of SSBs will decrease the consumption of soft drinks and other sugary drinks by 27% and 22%, respectively. Heterogeneous consumer behavior is revealed across income and consumption groups, as well as policy-relevant complementarity and substitution patterns. Policy impacts are simulated by considering an 18 cents per liter tax, implemented in Ecuador, and an ad-valorem 20% tax on the price. Estimated tax revenues and weight loss are larger for the latter. From a health perspective, high-income and heavy consumer households would benefit the most from this policy. Our study supports an evidence-based debate on how to correctly design and monitor food policy.

The ethics of excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxation has emerged as a priority policy for promoting health and funding investments in communities most affected by diet-related disease. There are now 8 U.S. jurisdictions and over 40 countries that have implemented SSB taxes. Evaluations show that these policies reduce SSB consumption and purchasing while raising revenues to fund public health, education, and equity. However, there have been few analyses of the ethical considerations of SSB taxation. Using a framework for evaluating the ethics of public health interventions, this paper considers the ethical aspects of SSB excise taxes with respect to: physical health, psychosocial well-being, equality, informed choice, liberty, social and cultural values, and responsibility. Available evidence suggests there is a strong ethical case for levying SSB excise taxes on manufacturers and distributors. SSB excise taxes reduce consumption and purchasing of SSBs and are expected to meaningfully reduce obesity and diet-related morbidity and mortality. Because SSB taxes are specific to a product and its manufacturers, they are unlikely to harm psychosocial health by stigmatizing people who are overweight. SSB excise taxes should lead to greater equality because the health and social benefits are progressive (i.e., low-income individuals are likely to accrue the largest benefits from the tax, even more so when revenues are spent on health and social equity). Meanwhile, the average consumer cost burden that would result if distributors raise SSB prices in reponse to the tax is minimally regressive. Regarding liberty, SSB taxes do not eliminate the option of buying SSBs, but if SSB distributors raise SSB prices, it becomes somewhat more expensive to continue purchasing the same amount of SSBs. Meanwhile, the taxes expand beverage options by funding drinking water availability and prompting industry to expand offerings of unsweetened drinks and SSBs containing less sugar. Furthermore, by averting poor health, SSB taxes should expand overall freedom to pursue one's goals. Informed choice could be facilitated by seeing a higher SSB shelf price (which indicates a drink contains added sugar) and exposure to nutrition education funded with tax revenues. SSB taxation is unlikely to negatively interfere with social or cultural values because taxation would not eliminate having SSBs for special occasions, and SSBs are not a staple of traditional diets. Lastly, SSB taxation attributes responsibility for health in a manner that reflects industry's contribution to obesity and the multisectoral solutions that are needed to prevent diet-related disease.