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A few thoughts today – including the interesting one from the Budget speech with the introduction of a sugar tax from 2017. The only pity is that it is only going to be on sweeteners and the basis for that is allegedly that South Africa has high rates of obesity than almost any other country apparently in Africa. We certainly do have a sugar addiction, although it is still below that in many other countries. I don’t see however that by targeting just sweeteners is going to resolve issues – the problem is the excessive consumption of sugar. These days just about everything is cooked in sugar – mothers are feeding their children sugar when they cook sweetened carrots and sweetened peas and everything is being artificially sweetened to make it “easier” to eat. One really has to question the value of sugared vegetables. Yes, it is great that one’s kids are eating vegetables, but why don’t you just coat them in chocolate – its no different to cooking with sugar? The principle is the same. Of course this is not new – this was introduced by Mayor Bloomberg in New York City as an extra tax on all carbon drinks sold in New York. Hopefully the Minister will give some thought to that – because you cannot say that you are just taxing artificial sweeteners and then forget that all the drinks either have artificial sweeteners in them or sugars in them. I think the idea is a good one, but I would not be surprised if they are not ready by next year to implement this tax.
Posted by Michael de Broglio on Thursday 24-Mar-16
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Comments
Natasha said:
on Friday 01-Apr-16 09:36 AM
If sugar tax is going up because of obesity then healthy foods should become more affordable. Everyone wants to life a healthier lifestyle but its sooo expensive
Natasha said:
on Friday 01-Apr-16 09:35 AM
If sugar tax is going up because of obesity then healthy foods should become more affordable. Everyone wants to life a healthier lifestyle but its sooo expensive
tamzyn said:
on Friday 01-Apr-16 07:36 AM
I do not think this will be a deterrent to consumers buying sugary products- people will buy the products regardless.
Angelique Jurgens said:
on Tuesday 29-Mar-16 04:02 PM
I personally don't see it making a huge different but I am no tax expert. People will still buy things with sugar regardless of the sin tax they are paying.
Sinead said:
on Tuesday 29-Mar-16 02:41 PM
Hmmmm... I have quite a sweet tooth but hopefully by 2017, I will have cut down on all the sugar... Lol
Johann said:
on Tuesday 29-Mar-16 09:18 AM
It is amazing how much hidden sugar there is in products we would regard as "healthy". The labels may profess "fat free" but no mention is made of all the sugar added.
Brenda van den Bergh said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 05:29 PM
I do not have much of a sweet tooth and I love my veggies just the way they are meant to be with no added sugar. There are however certain sugars I do particularly enjoy so it will effect me somewhat.
However, I do think it is a great idea as so many people are always complaining that they need to lose weight, but never really do anything about it, so this might just be the best thing to happen.
Cornelie said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 05:24 PM
Not good news for the sweet tooth out there.
Suzanne said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 05:24 PM
I don't think that sugar tax will make a huge difference in reducing the sugar consumption of South Africans.
Daniella said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 05:17 PM
If sugar tax is going up because of obesity then healthy foods should become more affordable.
Nicky said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 05:09 PM
I think that a sugar tax is a good idea in theory-I doubt though that it will go a long way in reducing obesity because, irrespective of the proposed sugar tax, somebody that wants to have sugar will have it.
I do not also see the point of having sugar added to vegetables (especially for children)-in my mind its the same as eating a sweet.
Tamaryn said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 05:01 PM
I think it just boils down to not adding extra sugar or sweetener to anything you consume as most food already contains sugar.
Refined sugars are detrimental to one's health, particularly long term consumption of high volumes. I agree with this tax insofar as it may help curb the "sugar habit" of many South Africans. At least it raises some form of awareness.
Daria said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 09:53 AM
Personally sugar tax will not effect me as i hardly ever eat sugar products but its just another way for the government to charge us more.
Charlotte Harding said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 09:39 AM
I like my sugar in mostly everything, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, sweet carrots. Not sure if I like this new sugar tax. Just another tax we have to pay I suppose.....
Zanell said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 09:31 AM
I think this is debatable. If you look at children living in locations most of them have an obesity problem due to the fact that all their mothers can really afford to feed them is Pap and they have this with every single meal. I really don't think that tax will stop people from buying sweets, they will complain about it but they will still pay for it.
Bianca said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 09:22 AM
I do not get the point of adding sugar to vegetables and in that case, you may as well not even eat vegetables. Most children are not fond of vegetables but I was also taught you will eat what is given to you and you will sit there all night if that's what it takes for you to eat your vegetables for example. I just think that too often people think that the impact is far less than what it actually is such as sweetening vegetables? The bottom line is that just like sin taxes, if you are consuming sweeteners and choose to consume same, you will be paying your sugar tax. If you choose to smoke, you pay your sin taxes etc.
Sandra said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 09:16 AM
I have a sweet tooth and it's my guilty pleasure. The fact that the government wants to put up a sugar tax to cut down on obesity is a bunch of nonsense. If government wants to worry so much about "obesity" cut down or increase the tariffs on fast food chains and all the other unhealthy products. We already get taxed on everything and there is going to be other increases in tax in due time, yet this tax increase isn't fixing our turmoiled economy in any event. The government needs to concentrate on other means - there are bigger problems in our country than implementing sugar taxes to cut down obesity.
Alexis said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 09:15 AM
Not much of a sweet person, but do enjoy it once in a while. I do not think that it will solve the obesity problem however, if you want it, you will have it.
Melissa P said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 08:57 AM
I don't have much of a sweet tooth so this won't affect me that much. However I believe it will affect us one way or the other through other consumer goods.
Clare said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 08:45 AM
I have to laugh when i hear that we going to have sugar tax. But in a way i look at it in a positive point of view, if you can afford it then leave it and its helping me in a diet reason.
Jessica Apfel said:
on Thursday 24-Mar-16 08:21 AM
We are not the first to implement this sort of tax, the UK have recently implored something quite similar - if im not mistaken Jamie Oliver was a significant motivator. None the less, we must commend South Africa (in all honesty a third world African country) for being able to follow in the foot steps of a first world country! That being said however, implementation remains problematic in this country and there is certainly a need to fine tune this tax.
Johannesburg based attorney specializing in personal injury matters including Road Accident Fund claims and medical negligence matters. My interests include golf, reading and the internet and the way it is constantly developing. I have a passion for life and a desire for less stress!
