Sugary drinks are linked to a long list of diseases caused by poor diet quality, weight gain and diabetes. Several studies have shown that taxes on these types of drinks significantly reduce their purchase. Nonetheless, among the objections to their introduction (often specious) is the concern that they could impact more heavily on low-income families.
None of this, apparently. New research from the University of Washington published in food policy (I link it to you here) showed completely different results on the fairness of a tax on sugary drinks.
Sweetened drinks: the new tobacco
Researchers and public health bodies have been pushing for years to limit the purchase of sugary drinks, as with cigarettes.
Not only did this study show an effective reduction in purchases, but also a positive impact especially for low-income families, with benefits ranging from 5,3 to 19,1 million dollars a year in the 3 cities that activated the experimental plan: Seattle, San Francisco and Philadelphia.
An example? Revenue from Seattle's sugary drink tax was used to fund healthy food access programs and services, and in 2020 supported communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
A systematic review
To calculate the taxes paid by families, the researchers examined 1.141 home purchases of sugary drinks in three US cities for one year and determined the size of the per capita tax for each income level, comparing the purchases to the city's population . Still a crude method, more "granular" methods to determine the figures more precisely are still missing, but this study shows an incontrovertible trend.
Taxes on sugary drinks move more low-income than high-income individuals away from unhealthy food, and return in the form of programs serving those same communities.
Not bad for the 7 local jurisdictions in the USA, and the over 45 nations around the world that have already adopted it. Among these, 10 in Europe: Belgium, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, the Principality of Monaco, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
When in Italy, where the sugar tax has been postponed for years for the pleasure of the lobbies?
