Attitudes and perceptions among urban South Africans towards sugar-sweetened beverages and taxation

Dados Bibliográficos

ID15097481
AutoresE N Bosire (0000-0002-4781-7101, University of the Witwatersrand, autor correspondente), Nicholas Stacey (0000-0002-3572-5314, University of the Witwatersrand), Gudani Mukoma (0000-0002-3305-9274, University of the Witwatersrand), Aviva Tugendhaft (0000-0003-4104-4299, University of the Witwatersrand), Karen Hofman (0000-0001-9512-7220, University of the Witwatersrand), Shane A Norri (0000-0001-7124-3788, University of the Witwatersrand), Shane A Norris
Ano2020
Volume23
Fascículo2
Páginas374-383
Data de publicação2020-02-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoPublic Health Nutrition (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1368-9800 • E-ISSN: 1475-2727
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1368980019001356
PMID31179956
OpenAlexW2953365833
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas15
Referências citadas45

Objective: A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) was introduced in South Africa in April 2018. Our objective was to document perceptions and attitudes among urban South Africans living in Soweto on factors that contribute to their SSB intake and on South Africa’s use of a tax to reduce SSB consumption. Design: We conducted six focus group discussions using a semi-structured guide. Setting: The study was conducted in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, 3 months before South Africa’s SSB tax was implemented. Participants: Adults aged 18 years or above living in Soweto ( n 57). Results: Participants reported frequent SSB consumption and attributed this to habit, addiction, advertising and wide accessibility of SSB. Most of the participants were not aware of the proposed SSB tax; when made aware of the tax, their responses included both beliefs that it would and would not result in reduced SSB intake. However, participants indicated cynicism with regard to the government’s stated motivation in introducing the tax for health rather than revenue reasons. Conclusions: While an SSB tax is a policy tool that could be used with other strategies to reduce people’s high level of SSB consumption in Soweto, our findings suggest a need to complement the SSB tax with a multipronged behaviour change strategy. This strategy could include both environmental and individual levers to reduce SSB consumption and its associated risks

Business · Consumption (sociology · Cynicism · Economics · Environmental health · Focus group · Government (linguistics · Perception · Political science · Politics · Public economics · Sociology · Tax revenue · Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Marketing