New proof that sugary beverage tax impacts are sustainable, efficient

Two new research printed by researchers on the College of Illinois Chicago present proof that public insurance policies to cut back consumption of added sugars by way of taxes on sugar-sweetened drinks are efficient and sustainable.

Sugar-sweetened drinks like soda, juice, and vitality and sports activities drinks, are the most important contributor of added sugars in American diets. Overconsumption of added sugars considerably contributes to weight problems and is related to comorbidities like diabetes, which may enhance most cancers dangers and end in extra extreme COVID-19 sickness. Presently, greater than 50% of adults and 65% of kids eat extra added sugars than beneficial.

Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, usually referred to as soda taxes, purpose to offer monetary incentives to customers selecting more healthy drinks whereas additionally funding public well being applications.

The analysis crew has been learning the implementation of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes all through the U.S. and the brand new research analyzed information from Seattle, the place the tax was carried out in 2018. The Seattle information was in contrast with information from Portland, Oregon, a metropolis of comparable measurement and demographics however and not using a sugar-sweetened beverage tax.

“Whereas we and others have printed numerous research on the short-term results of SSB taxes the place they’ve been carried out within the U.S., these taxes are nonetheless comparatively new, and we’d like scientific information on longer-term impacts to grasp if the insurance policies have the potential to generate sustained public well being advantages,” mentioned examine lead creator Lisa Powell, distinguished professor and director of well being coverage and administration within the UIC College of Public Well being.

The research are the primary to comprehensively consider the tax’s long-term impression throughout all retailer sorts and throughout all drinks and sweets bought.

The researchers obtained Nielsen retail scanner information on unit gross sales and unit measurements, like fluid ounces or grams, of sugary drinks, sweets, and stand-alone sugar merchandise in Seattle and Portland. Information included all gross sales from the out there pattern of meals shops inclusive of supermarkets and mass merchandise shops, in addition to grocery, drug, comfort and greenback shops—protecting about 45% of all meals retailer gross sales.

In a Journal of Public Well being Coverage examine titled “Impression of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax two-year post-tax implementation in Seattle, Washington, United States,” Powell’s crew appeared particularly on the financial impacts of the tax after two years.

Evaluation confirmed: the costs of taxed drinks elevated by 1.04 cents per ounce, similar to a 59% tax pass-through fee; the quantity bought of taxed drinks fell by 22%; and no cross-border purchasing.

A JAMA Community Open examine titled “Analysis of Adjustments in Grams of Sugar Offered After the Implementation of the Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax” targeted on the impression of the tax on estimates of sugar bought after two years.

The researchers discovered that one 12 months and two years after implementation, the tax created a 23% discount in grams of sugar bought from taxed drinks. And whereas the evaluation confirmed some offset from substitutions—a 4% enhance in sugar bought from sweets in each years and an preliminary enhance in grams of sugar bought from untaxed drinks within the first 12 months solely—there was a internet 19% discount in grams of sugar bought from taxed drinks at two-years post-tax.

“Our research present that even after accounting for potential substitution behaviors, like cross-border purchasing or collection of different objects with added sugars, these taxes have a big, sustained impression on lowering quantity and grams of sugar bought from sugary drinks,” Powell mentioned. “This means that taxes might completely cut back the demand for sugary drinks and assist to decrease charges of well being harms which are related to added sugars.”