The majority of Albertans would support a tax on pop and energy drinks to reduce consumption of the sugary products, according to a recent University of Alberta survey.
The survey, which surveyed 1,200 Albertans, found 58 per cent of respondents support a tax on pop and energy drinks.
“Support for a tax on sugary drinks in Alberta is not surprising, given the global momentum building around this issue,” said Dr. Candace Nykiforuk, co-lead of the Alberta Policy Coalition for Chronic Disease Prevention (APCCP) and professor at the U of A’s School of Public Health.
READ MORE: Should sugary drinks face a 20 per cent tax? Dietitians call for extra tax to curb obesity
The APCCP said it would like to see a 50 cent per litre tax on sugary drinks in Alberta. The group believes the tax will reduce sugary drink consumption and provide funding to promote healthy initiatives such as a school nutrition and physical activity programs.
“Given the current economic climate and burden of chronic disease, it’s time for the province to seriously consider a tax on sugary drinks,” said Dr. Kim Raine, APCCP co-lead and professor at the U of A’s School of Public Health.
“It’s a win-win.”
The researchers said sugary drinks like pop and energy drinks have been linked to serious health problems, including obesity, heart disease, hypertension and diabetes.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization recommended that countries use tax policy to increase the price of sugary drinks like pop, sport drinks and even 100-per cent fruit juices as a way to fight obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.
READ MORE: World Health Organization urges countries to put tax on sugary drinks
In a 36-page report on fiscal policy and diet, WHO cited “strong evidence” that subsidies to reduced prices for fresh fruits and vegetables can help improve diets. It said that tax policies that lead to a 20 per cent increase in the retail prices of sugary drinks would result in a proportional reduction in consumption.
However, taxpayer watchdogs such as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation oppose such a tax. The Alberta director of the CTF said a sugar tax is “a case of good intentions gone bad.”
“A tax on sugary drinks, or a fat tax, the motivation is good I’m sure but the result is a tax on the poor and it’s just bad policy that doesn’t work,” Paige MacPherson said.
MacPherson said a tax would just shift people’s buying habits to other food and beverages and wouldn’t generate a stable source of revenue.
“If it’s a stable source of revenue, I think that that illustrates that the sugar tax really doesn’t accomplish the goal that you want it to accomplish and it’s just another tax grab.”
Watch below: In an effort to cut down on obesity, the World Health Organization wants countries around the world to introduce a tax on sugary drinks. As Robin Gill reports, health experts applaud the move but taxpayer watchdogs oppose it.
The Conference Board of Canada has said the daily consumption of calories through non-alcoholic and non-dairy beverages, not including coffee and tea, dropped by 20 per cent per capita between 2004 and 2014, largely from the marketing of low-calorie options.
However, the economic research organization said Canada’s beverage industry will have to do more to reduce the number of calories people consume through soft drinks and other sugary beverages.
With files from The Canadian Press.
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