A tax that’s easy to swallow Ryan Bridge, like most people, hates taxes . However, he goes on to suggest a wealth tax, a capital gains tax or both will help reduce government debt ( NZ Herald , September 25 ). He also suggests we should have a sugar tax.
Bridge correctly points out that we tax booze and cigarettes because they are bad for our health . So why not soft drinks? The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends countries tax sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), along with alcohol. Currently, 148 countries tax alcohol and 108 countries tax SSBs.
The WHO says “taxing unhealthy products creates healthier populations. It has a positive effect across society, with less disease and more revenue for Governments to provide public services including hospitals tackling obesity and diabetes caused by these sugar-sweetened beverages”..