The effectiveness of the sugar tax in the countries that imposed it

Business Insider Polska conducted a comprehensive analysis of the impact of a sugar tax on obesity in communities. The site began with the fact that the words of Prime Minister Matthews Murawiecki that “most mature countries have introduced these fees a long time ago” were false news.

World sugar tax

Of the five largest economies in the world (the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and India), only India has imposed a tax. The other “economically mature” countries that have decided to honor them are Great Britain and France (the sixth and seventh economies in the world), Mexico (15th), and Saudi Arabia (18th). A quarter of the world’s 20 economies impose a sugar tax.

When it comes to sugar tax effectiveness, BIP accounts show that it did not achieve the intended effect anywhere. Norway and microscopic Nauru are the only countries where obesity rates have slowed somewhat.

How effective is the sugar tax?

The detailed calculations of the sugar tax are mercilessly. Here are some examples:

Norway. When the tax was imposed, obesity was 9.8 percent. People. In the first five years, the obesity rate increased by 1.6%. In the next five, it is down 1.4 percent. Norwegians are obese today 25 percent.

Latvia. When the tax was imposed, 21.7 percent were obese. Citizens. Five years after the tax, obesity was 23.2 percent. Latvia. Before the tax, the increase in obesity was 1.1%. For 5 years, by 1.5 percentage points

Hungary. When the tax was imposed, Hungarians were obese 25.8 percent. Five years later, there were already 28.6 percent of them.

France. Before the sugar tax, the obesity rate increased by 1.6%. After entering … 1.6 percent.

Mexico. When the tax was imposed, 27.2 percent were obese. Mexicans. The index grew by 1.2%. (For two years). After it was introduced, it was up 1.2%. For two years. Nothing has changed.

Chile. The same situation in Mexico. The index grew by 1.1%. Then the tax was entered. The ratio remained at 1.1%.

Nauru (The population is about 10 thousand). The country with the highest obesity rates in the world – 60.7% (in 2016). The obesity rate increased by 5.9 percent, and by 5.7 percent after tax.

So we will have to wait for there to be no traces of the sugar tax application. In 2016, there were 25.6% of obese people in Poland.

Also read:
Prices for monkeys and coke are going up. But not everywhere