Taxing sweet snacks could lead to broader reductions in the amount of sugar purchased than similar increases in the price of sugar-sweetened drinks. The research team from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, estimate that adding 10% to the price of chocolate, confectionery, cakes and biscuits may reduce purchases by around 7%.
Researchers say that these observations suggest that relevant policies and future research should consider a broad range of fiscal measures to improve diet than is currently the case. Lead author Professor Richard Smith from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said: "We know that increasing the price of sugar-sweetened beverages is likely to generate a small, but significant, reduction in their purchase.
Regardless, there has been little research on the impact of a similar price increase on other sweet foods like chocolate, confectionery, cakes and biscuits could have on the purchase of sugar. This research suggests that taxing these sweet snacks could bring greater health gains and warrants detailed consideration.
This study helps to provide a direct analysis of the relationship between price increase and consumer demand for snack foods across different income groups. Researchers found that increasing the price of sweet snacks had led to a decrease in purchases and may have wider effects on purchasing patterns, which have been suggested that it could bring about additional benefits to public health.
Potential effects of price increase were greatest in the low-income group. Increasing the price of biscuits was linked to a reduction in the purchase of chocolate and confectionery for the low-income groups. However, no such reductions for the high-income group were seen.
This research suggests that extending fiscal policies to include sweet snacks could be an important boost to public health, by reducing purchasing and hence consumption of these food, particularly in low-income households.
Source material from Science Daily