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Yes, The Government Should Tax Soft Drinks: Findings from a Citizens’ Jury in Australia

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  • Nicole Moretto

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Elizabeth Kendall

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia)

  • Jennifer Whitty

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, Australia)

  • Joshua Byrnes

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia)

  • Andrew P. Hills

    (Centre for Nutrition and Exercise, Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Aubigny Place, South Brisbane QLD 4101, Australia
    Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast QLD 4222, Australia)

  • Louisa Gordon

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia)

  • Erika Turkstra

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia)

  • Paul Scuffham

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia)

  • Tracy Comans

    (Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Griffith University, Meadowbrook QLD 4131, Australia
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Taxation has been suggested as a possible preventive strategy to address the serious public health concern of childhood obesity. Understanding the public’s viewpoint on the potential role of taxation is vital to inform policy decisions if they are to be acceptable to the wider community. A Citizens’ Jury is a deliberative method for engaging the public in decision making and can assist in setting policy agendas. A Citizens’ Jury was conducted in Brisbane, Australia in May 2013 to answer the question: Is taxation on food and drinks an acceptable strategy to the public in order to reduce rates of childhood obesity? Citizens were randomly selected from the electoral roll and invited to participate. Thirteen members were purposively sampled from those expressing interest to broadly reflect the diversity of the Australian public. Over two days, participants were presented with evidence on the topic by experts, were able to question witnesses and deliberate on the evidence. The jurors unanimously supported taxation on sugar-sweetened drinks but generally did not support taxation on processed meats, snack foods and foods eaten/ purchased outside the home. They also supported taxation on snack foods on the condition that traffic light labelling was also introduced. Though they were not specifically asked to deliberate strategies outside of taxation, the jurors strongly recommended more nutritional information on all food packaging using the traffic light and teaspoon labelling systems for sugar, salt and fat content. The Citizens’ Jury suggests that the general public may support taxation on sugar-sweetened drinks to reduce rates of obesity in children. Regulatory reforms of taxation on sugar-sweetened drinks and improved labelling of nutritional information on product packaging were strongly supported by all members of the jury. These reforms should be considered by governments to prevent childhood obesity and the future burden on society from the consequences of obesity.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicole Moretto & Elizabeth Kendall & Jennifer Whitty & Joshua Byrnes & Andrew P. Hills & Louisa Gordon & Erika Turkstra & Paul Scuffham & Tracy Comans, 2014. "Yes, The Government Should Tax Soft Drinks: Findings from a Citizens’ Jury in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:3:p:2456-2471:d:33478
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tritter, Jonathan Quetzal & McCallum, Alison, 2006. "The snakes and ladders of user involvement: Moving beyond Arnstein," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(2), pages 156-168, April.
    2. Jacobson, M.F. & Brownell, K.D., 2000. "Small taxes on soft drinks and snack foods to promote health," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 90(6), pages 854-857.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tracy Comans & Nicole Moretto & Joshua Byrnes, 2017. "Public Preferences for the Use of Taxation and Labelling Policy Measures to Combat Obesity in Young Children in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Le Bodo, Yann & Etilé, Fabrice & Julia, Chantal & Friant-Perrot, Marine & Breton, Eric & Lecocq, Sébastien & Boizot-Szantai, Christine & Bergeran, Céline & Jabot, Françoise, 2022. "Public health lessons from the French 2012 soda tax and insights on the modifications enacted in 2018," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(7), pages 585-591.
    3. Jana Markert & Sabine Herget & David Petroff & Ruth Gausche & Andrea Grimm & Wieland Kiess & Susann Blüher, 2014. "Telephone-Based Adiposity Prevention for Families with Overweight Children (T.A.F.F.-Study): One Year Outcome of a Randomized, Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, October.

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