Why Should We Tax Soda?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Supporters of soda taxes argue that

they can discourage people from wanting to buy sugary drinks

and reduce the number of Americans who are obese. Besides diabetes, soft drink consumption has been linked to other health problems like liver disease and tooth decay.

How effective is the soda tax?

Adults who participated in the study reported drinking about 10 fewer sodas a month after the tax, amounting to a

reduction of about 31 percent

, according to a study recently published by Cawley and colleagues in the Journal of Health Economics.

Why should there be a tax on sugary drinks?

A tax on sugary drinks can help:

Raises revenue for important programs

like healthier food in schools, increasing access to healthy food for low income people, initiatives to prevent diabetes and other chronic diseases, education campaigns about sugary drinks and healthy eating, and universal pre-k.

Are soda taxes bad?

Research also indicates that

soda taxes are highly regressive

, causing low-income households to pay nearly twice as much as the wealthy. … A two-cents-per-ounce tax on soft drinks in the U.S. would cost the typical consumer more than $100 over the course of a year, a hefty expense for poor families.

Is there tax on soda?


The United States does not have a nationwide soda tax

, but a few of its cities have passed their own tax and the U.S. has seen a growing debate around taxing soda in various cities, states and even in Congress in recent years.

Who drinks sugary?

People who consume sugary drinks regularly – 1 to 2 cans a day or more – have a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who rarely consume such drinks(5).

What are the advantages of a sugar tax?

Benefits of an Australian tax on sugar-sweetened beverages

Over a 25-year period,

there could be 16,000 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes; 4,400 fewer cases of heart disease; and 1,100 fewer cases of stroke

.

What are the benefits of a sugar tax?

The benefits of an SSB tax are threefold: it

would introduce a price signal to consumers that the product is unhealthy

; create a disincentive in the form of higher prices; and incentivise manufacturers to reformulate (i.e. lower the sugar content of products).

Where is there a soda tax?

No state currently has an excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Instead, soda taxes are levied locally in

Boulder, Colorado

; the District of Columbia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Seattle, Washington; and four California cities: Albany, Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco.

Why is there no sugar tax?

One of the most common arguments used to oppose taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages is that such

taxes are regressive

, and it is unfair to make poorer people pay a larger share of their limited incomes to consume these products, when compared to wealthier people.

Is the soda tax ethical?

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.

How do u calculate tax?

Multiply the cost of an item or service by the sales tax in order to find out the total cost. The equation looks like this:

Item or service cost x sales tax

(in decimal form) = total sales tax. Add the total sales tax to the Item or service cost to get your total cost.

Does sugar tax reduce obesity?


Sugary drink taxes have the potential to reduce sugar consumption

. And in the longer term, especially if combined with “snack taxes”, may also help to reduce obesity and diabetes – as supported by a recent study published in the British Medical Journal.

Is there tax on junk food?

Whether or not those taxes will actually make a dent in obesity is a matter of fierce debate, however. … Manufacturers of junk foods in that country pay

a “value added tax” of 27% on

top of the 25% tax that’s imposed on most foods. Hungary’s law levies the junk food tax based largely on sugar and salt content.

Who drinks the most sugary drinks?


Adolescents and young adults

are the heaviest consumers of sugary drinks. Even young infants and toddlers drink a lot of sugary drinks, primarily fruit drinks. Consumption has gone down in all age groups, with largest declines in 2-5 year olds and 12-19 year olds.

What happens if you drink Coca Cola everyday?

According to one of the largest, the landmark U.S. Framingham Heart Study, drinking just one can of soda daily has been linked to

obesity

, increased waist size, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attack, stroke, poorer memory, smaller brain volume, and dementia.

Sophia Kim
Author
Sophia Kim
Sophia Kim is a food writer with a passion for cooking and entertaining. She has worked in various restaurants and catering companies, and has written for several food publications. Sophia's expertise in cooking and entertaining will help you create memorable meals and events.