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A sugar tax to ‘tackle obesity’ is among proposals being considered by the government

Further to renewed calls today for a  tax on ‘sugar sweetened’ drinks.

Eamon Delaney, at the  Hibernia Forum writes:

The Sugar tax proposal is yet another nanny state measure which benefits politicians and the tax collector but doesn’t address the problem it says it does. This ineffective measure uses a sledgehammer inflationary approach and focuses on the wrong area.

We absolutely need to address the growing problem of obesity but this should be done through education, more exercise, less car dependency etc and not just by singling out one product for a punitive financial penalty..

The reality is that sugar taxes don’t reduce obesity and are regressive…

…The obesity problem requires a multi-faceted approach

Soft drinks companies have been active on this issue. In Ireland they say they have increased their marketing spend on no and low sugar options by 80% over the last five years, are not marketing and advertising any beverages to children under 12s, and say they are committed to reformulation

The beverage industry is leading on addressing obesity through a mix of effective measures. Reformulation of sugar sweetened beverages in Ireland has already resulted in a 10% reduction in energy – 15% when the shift towards low and no calorie drinks is included.

They are also reviewing their marketing practices to ensure advertising in a responsible manner, including increasing public awareness on consumption and nutrition.

In fairness, they are committed to doing more, including continuing to accelerate their low calories beverages; aggressive reformulation of their products; and introducing new products with reduced calories.

While obesity rates are rising in Ireland, between 2000 and 2012 the sales of sugar sweetened beverages fell by 21% (sparkling sugar sweetened beverages fell by 28% in the same period).

So what is this about? Why would a sugar tax change this?

Sugared per caps have dropped by 28% since 2003, while lights/waters have grown from 25.7% to 31.9%

With sparkling soft drinks contributing just 3% of total calorie intake in the Irish diet, a tax would be both ineffective in helping to combat obesity and unfair to consumers who would face additional costs.

Lastly we should remember two things:

1. That there’s already a tax on sugary drinks, vat at 23%, and

2. Vat was increased from 21% to 23% and it had no effect on demand for those sugary drinks.

Fight!

*wobble*

Fight Obesity Through Education And Exercise, Not With Another Tax (Eamon Delaney, Hibernia Forum)

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Minister for Health Leo Varadkar

 

Further to the sickly, sugar tax-free Budget 2016.

A Food Critic fumes:

Thank you for bringing the issue of childhood obesity to the attention of your readers yesterday. As predicted, a sugar tax was not announced in the budget, despite the alleged determination of Leo Varadkar to see such a tax introduced. (Leo is, of course, your Minister for Health, the same chap who thinks the best thing about Ireland is “red lemonade and Tayto crisps.”)

Unfortunately, many of the people who commented on the article just repeated industry’s line on obesity: it’s all the fault of kids and their lazy parents. For 30 years we have heard this drivel from Big Food and its lapdogs in government and the media. Are your readers thick? Or do they read too many newspapers.

Very simply, childhood obesity is a major public health issue. A quarter of our three year-olds are now obese or overweight. We can respond in one of three ways:

1. Encourage kids and their parents to exercise personal responsibility. For example: eat less junk, start jogging, have your five a day.

2. Ask government to intervene with evidence-based strategies. For example: introduce a sugar tax, ban the marketing of junk food to children, don’t let fast food outlets open near schools.

3. Both of the above.

Option 3 is, of course, the logical approach. It is obvious that we each have a role to play, just as it’s obvious that government has a part to play. What’s depressing about many of your readers’ comments is that they parroted the industry line: exercise personal responsibility, as if that alone is the solution to this problem.

On its own, a sugar tax would not have saved a generation of Irish kids from obesity. However, as part of a suite of measures, including things like getting more exercise and restricting the marketing of junk food, such a tax would at least have demonstrated a sincere determination to tackle childhood obesity.

One day the cost of treating the diseases of obesity will become clear to us all. At that point, politicians will be forced to act. In the meantime, kids all over the country will continue to pay the price for our government’s refusal to play its part in addressing the biggest public health crisis in the history of the state.

That is shameful.

Food FIGHT!

Yesterday: One Lump Or Two

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Minister for Health Leo Varadkar

A sugar tax in today’s budget?

Fat chance.

A Food Critic writes:

When a right-wing Minister for Health calls for a sugar tax to combat childhood obesity, he deserves applause. How wise it was for Leo Varadkar to announce his support for such a tax last week. After all, a quarter of Irish three-year-olds are now overweight or obese. We are talking about the greatest public health crisis in the history of the state.

The only problem is that Leo Varadkar doesn’t want a sugar tax. He regards such taxes with contempt. The Minister revealed his true colours in the Sunday Independent on August 23rd, when he boasted that his favourite thing about Ireland is “our unique culinary delights like red lemonade and Tayto crisps.”

When a politician boasts about his love of sugared water in the middle of an obesity crisis, it seems a bit irresponsible. When he is also a qualified doctor it seems bizarre. But when that same politician is also the nation’s Minister for Health, our kids don’t stand a chance.

If a sugar tax is introduced in today’s budget, the government should be heartily congratulated. If a sugar tax is not introduced, will the Minister for Health apologise for pretending to give a sh*t about Irish kids?

FIGHT!

(Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie)