Purandeswari urges Centre to impose ‘health tax’ on beverages, junk foods
AP BJP chief and Rajamahendravaram MP D. Purandeswari called upon the Centre to consider a proposal to impose ‘health tax’ on sugar-sweetened beverages and junk foods in India
Vijayawada: AP BJP chief and Rajamahendravaram MP D. Purandeswari called upon the Centre to consider a proposal to impose ‘health tax’ on sugar-sweetened beverages and junk foods in India.
The MP raised the issue under Rule 377 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The MP raised concern over the rising incidence of obesity, diabetes and non-communicable diseases in India mainly due to high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and junk foods. She said that countries like the UK, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia had successfully introduced sugar taxes and front-of-pack labelling systems like nutrition-grade to curb sugar consumption.
She claimed that such practice resulted in reduction in the median sugar level of packaged drinks from 7.1% in 2017 to 4.7% in 2021 based on preliminary data available from Singapore and said that it also registered an increase in the sale of healthier A and B grade drinks.
Referring to the UK, the MP said that the sugar levy had reduced sugar levels by 28.8% and is estimated to prevent over 5,000 cases of obesity annually among school girls.
The MP wanted India to adopt a similar strategy and urged the Centre to introduce a graded front-of-pack nutrition label, levy a ‘health tax’ on sugary beverages and ultra-processed junk foods and to set mandatory limits on sugar and salt content to packaged items, as recommended by the Economic Survey.
