Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In the 2019 Budget speech, the Finance Minister announced the implementation of the excise tax on two categories of sugar-sweetened beverages starting from April 1st, 2019 (now postponed to July 1st), at the rate of RM0.40 per litre. The targets are manufactured ready-to-drink beverages including carbonated and flavoured drinks containing sugars more than 5g per 100ml, or fruit juices and vegetable-based drinks exceeding 12g per 100ml. It was stated in the governments intention to promote healthy eating and lifestyle and reduce the prevalence of overweight or obese Malaysians. With these objectives in mind, this study explores what could be the impact of the Sugar Tax policy to public health. METHODS: Taking into accounts of the evidence found in the NHMS 2014 (Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey), NHMS 2017 (Adolescent Health Survey) and Household Expenditure Survey 2016, prevalence, frequencies and money spent on such targeted beverages and other sugar-rich food items are analysed against the potential tax impact on food consumption behaviour and expenditure. RESULTS: Assuming Malaysians behaviour is unchanged since 2014, on average the Federal Government would collect at most RM9.71 per sweetened drinks consumer per month. If a B40 household of 4 members display similar behaviour, then it would cost them more than double the monthly average household non-alcoholic beverages expenditure. CONCLUSION: This study finds the Sugar Tax to be regressive towards the lower income households, however they could probably still afford to resume their old consumption habit since the effect of the excise tax might be just marginal.
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@proceedings{APCPH-2019-84,
title = {Sugar Tax: Could It Significantly Alter Malaysian Food Behaviour?},
author = {Lim Chee Han},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-07-22},
urldate = {2019-07-22},
journal = {6th Asia-Pacific Conference on Public Health 2019 Proceedings},
issue = {6},
abstract = {INTRODUCTION: In the 2019 Budget speech, the Finance Minister announced the implementation of the excise tax on two categories of sugar-sweetened beverages starting from April 1st, 2019 (now postponed to July 1st), at the rate of RM0.40 per litre. The targets are manufactured ready-to-drink beverages including carbonated and flavoured drinks containing sugars more than 5g per 100ml, or fruit juices and vegetable-based drinks exceeding 12g per 100ml. It was stated in the governments intention to promote healthy eating and lifestyle and reduce the prevalence of overweight or obese Malaysians. With these objectives in mind, this study explores what could be the impact of the Sugar Tax policy to public health. METHODS: Taking into accounts of the evidence found in the NHMS 2014 (Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey), NHMS 2017 (Adolescent Health Survey) and Household Expenditure Survey 2016, prevalence, frequencies and money spent on such targeted beverages and other sugar-rich food items are analysed against the potential tax impact on food consumption behaviour and expenditure. RESULTS: Assuming Malaysians behaviour is unchanged since 2014, on average the Federal Government would collect at most RM9.71 per sweetened drinks consumer per month. If a B40 household of 4 members display similar behaviour, then it would cost them more than double the monthly average household non-alcoholic beverages expenditure. CONCLUSION: This study finds the Sugar Tax to be regressive towards the lower income households, however they could probably still afford to resume their old consumption habit since the effect of the excise tax might be just marginal.},
note = {Type: ORAL PRESENTATION; Organisation: Penang Institute},
keywords = {food behaviour, food consumption, healthy lifestyle, sugar tax, sugar-sweetened beverages},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}