Zizi Sparks: Sugar tax not a silver bullet solution

Taxing sugary products isn't going to solve everything. Photo / File

OPINION

Last week, the Dental Association told the Government sugar taxes should be introduced here based on already successful overseas models.

But in my view, a sugar tax is not a silver bullet and instead may be crippling to those already in poverty.

Dental decay in children has long been a concern.

In November last year it was estimated about half of Kiwi kids were missing out on having annual check-ups and in 2019 about a quarter of children were overdue for their scheduled appointments.

We also heard of adults taking dentistry into their own hands due to cost and of others presenting at the emergency room with tooth troubles after leaving it too late.

A sugar tax is not unlike a tobacco tax. Each year the price of cigarettes goes up, but despite that people still take up smoking and people stay addicted no matter the price.

I'm sure if sugar was taxed, people would still buy fizzy drinks. People know it's not good for them, but we all have our comforts.

Hiking up the price of sugary products on its own may negatively impact those already struggling to make ends meet perpetuating the poverty cycle.

While a sugar tax may make people stop and think, I don't believe it will stop them from buying sugary products.

A new report, led by the researchers from the University of Cambridge and published in the British Medical Journal, found the UK's tax on sugary drinks resulted in a 10 per cent decrease in people's sugar consumption.

But the overall volume of soft drinks being bought did not change, just the actual sugar levels.

While a tax is a good place to start when it comes to tackling sugar consumption, it can't be the only thing we do. It needs to be done in conjunction with marketing and advertising restrictions, and with education. And healthy food needs to become more accessible.

Taxing sugary products and even fast food won't encourage people to eat healthier if the cost of healthy food remains the same.

We should use a sugar tax to subsidise healthy food for those who need it.