Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy study
Abstract Background The public health benefits of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes often rely on, among other things, changes to consumer purchases. Thus, perceived cost of SSBs and signalling effects—via awareness of the tax—may impact the effectiveness of SSB taxes on consumer purchases. Objec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-03-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01277-1 |
| _version_ | 1811272939178295296 |
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| author | Rachel B. Acton Lana Vanderlee Jean Adams Sharon I. Kirkpatrick Lilia S. Pedraza Gary Sacks Christine M. White Martin White David Hammond |
| author_facet | Rachel B. Acton Lana Vanderlee Jean Adams Sharon I. Kirkpatrick Lilia S. Pedraza Gary Sacks Christine M. White Martin White David Hammond |
| author_sort | Rachel B. Acton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The public health benefits of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes often rely on, among other things, changes to consumer purchases. Thus, perceived cost of SSBs and signalling effects—via awareness of the tax—may impact the effectiveness of SSB taxes on consumer purchases. Objective The study sought to examine perceived cost of SSBs, tax awareness, and changes in beverage purchasing over time and across four countries with and without SSB taxes. Methods The study used data from the 2017, 2018 and 2019 waves of the International Food Policy Study. Annual cross-sectional online surveys were conducted in Australia, Mexico, UK and US, which captured perceived cost of SSBs relative to non-SSBs in all countries (with Australia as a no-tax comparator), and measures of tax awareness and participants’ reported changes in beverage purchasing in response to SSB taxes in Mexico (tax implemented in 2014), UK (tax implemented in 2018) and US (subnational taxes since 2015). Logistic regression models evaluated the measures across years and socio-demographic groups. Results Perceived cost of SSBs relative to non-SSBs was higher in Mexico (all three years) and the UK (2018 and 2019 following tax implementation) than Australia and the US. Tax awareness was higher in UK than Mexico, and decreased over time among Mexican respondents. Patterns of reported beverage purchasing changes in response to the tax were similar across Mexico, UK and US, with the largest changes reported by Mexican respondents. Respondents with characteristics corresponding to lower socioeconomic status were less likely to be aware of an SSB tax, but more likely to perceive SSBs to cost more than non-SSBs and report changes in purchasing in response to the tax, where there was one. Conclusions This study suggests that in countries where a national SSB tax was present (Mexico, UK), perceived cost of SSBs and tax awareness were higher compared to countries with no SSB tax (Australia) or subnational SSB taxes (US), respectively, and suggests that perceived cost and tax awareness represent distinct constructs. Improving the ‘signalling effect’ of existing SSB taxes may be warranted, particularly in tax settings where consumer behaviour change is a policy objective. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:50:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50bed1603c114a5a9235febb488e0400 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:50:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-50bed1603c114a5a9235febb488e04002022-12-22T03:13:23ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682022-03-0119111810.1186/s12966-022-01277-1Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy studyRachel B. Acton0Lana Vanderlee1Jean Adams2Sharon I. Kirkpatrick3Lilia S. Pedraza4Gary Sacks5Christine M. White6Martin White7David Hammond8School of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooÉcole de Nutrition, Centre de Nutrition, Santé Et Société (NUTRISS), Université LavalCentre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), MRC Epidemiology Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical CampusSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooCenter for Nutrition and Health Research, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cerrada los Pinos Y CamineraGlobal Obesity Centre, Deakin UniversitySchool of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooCentre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), MRC Epidemiology Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical CampusSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of WaterlooAbstract Background The public health benefits of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes often rely on, among other things, changes to consumer purchases. Thus, perceived cost of SSBs and signalling effects—via awareness of the tax—may impact the effectiveness of SSB taxes on consumer purchases. Objective The study sought to examine perceived cost of SSBs, tax awareness, and changes in beverage purchasing over time and across four countries with and without SSB taxes. Methods The study used data from the 2017, 2018 and 2019 waves of the International Food Policy Study. Annual cross-sectional online surveys were conducted in Australia, Mexico, UK and US, which captured perceived cost of SSBs relative to non-SSBs in all countries (with Australia as a no-tax comparator), and measures of tax awareness and participants’ reported changes in beverage purchasing in response to SSB taxes in Mexico (tax implemented in 2014), UK (tax implemented in 2018) and US (subnational taxes since 2015). Logistic regression models evaluated the measures across years and socio-demographic groups. Results Perceived cost of SSBs relative to non-SSBs was higher in Mexico (all three years) and the UK (2018 and 2019 following tax implementation) than Australia and the US. Tax awareness was higher in UK than Mexico, and decreased over time among Mexican respondents. Patterns of reported beverage purchasing changes in response to the tax were similar across Mexico, UK and US, with the largest changes reported by Mexican respondents. Respondents with characteristics corresponding to lower socioeconomic status were less likely to be aware of an SSB tax, but more likely to perceive SSBs to cost more than non-SSBs and report changes in purchasing in response to the tax, where there was one. Conclusions This study suggests that in countries where a national SSB tax was present (Mexico, UK), perceived cost of SSBs and tax awareness were higher compared to countries with no SSB tax (Australia) or subnational SSB taxes (US), respectively, and suggests that perceived cost and tax awareness represent distinct constructs. Improving the ‘signalling effect’ of existing SSB taxes may be warranted, particularly in tax settings where consumer behaviour change is a policy objective.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01277-1Sugar-sweetened beveragesTaxNutrition policyAwarenessPerceived cost |
| spellingShingle | Rachel B. Acton Lana Vanderlee Jean Adams Sharon I. Kirkpatrick Lilia S. Pedraza Gary Sacks Christine M. White Martin White David Hammond Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy study International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Sugar-sweetened beverages Tax Nutrition policy Awareness Perceived cost |
| title | Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy study |
| title_full | Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy study |
| title_fullStr | Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy study |
| title_short | Tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar-sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019: findings from the international food policy study |
| title_sort | tax awareness and perceived cost of sugar sweetened beverages in four countries between 2017 and 2019 findings from the international food policy study |
| topic | Sugar-sweetened beverages Tax Nutrition policy Awareness Perceived cost |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01277-1 |
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