New tax won’t keep sugar lovers from their fix, government told

The tax on sweetened beverages is supposed to take effect in April. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA: Marissa Thomas has a sweet tooth – she will not give up on desserts, no matter how much she may have to fork out for a piece of cake or a slice of pie.

Like some, she is sceptical of the government’s sugar tax, designed to reduce people’s consumption of sugar.

“Desserts are sweet for a reason – sugar is their main identity. If you reduce the sugar content in, say, a meringue, it would not be considered a meringue anymore.

“The same goes for dessert drinks. If they are not sweet anymore, people will not buy them. Manufacturers of such drinks will suffer. The same applies for soda and soft drinks,” she told FMT.

Instead of raising the price of these items, Thomas suggested that the government come up with an effective way to educate the public on how to consume sugary food and beverages in moderation.

“Imposing a sugar tax will only hurt a certain group of people in the food supply chain,” she said.

The so-called sugar tax, to be imposed by April this year, will see an excise tax of 40 sen per litre on sweetened beverages with more than five grams of sugar or sugar-based sweetener per 100ml.

This includes carbonated drinks, as well as flavoured and other non-alcoholic beverages.

The tax will also be imposed on juice or vegetable-based drinks with over 12g of sugar per 100ml.

While the health ministry and other related agencies have welcomed the tax as a step towards addressing issues such as obesity, critics say it will not be enough to make a difference.

Speaking to FMT, cafe owner Amy Choo said her staff had been trying to teach people to enjoy their beverages without adding in extra sugar.

“But those who prefer their coffee sweet will still add sugar to their drink, regardless of whether the coffee is really that bitter,” she said.

“Based on the trend of my cafe customers, once you are a ‘sugary drinks’ person, you will stick to the beverage of your choice. It (the tax) is not about to convert a person who takes his or her drinks sweet into one who does not.”

The government’s announcement of the tax followed a study by the health ministry which found that nearly one in two Malaysians is overweight or obese.

However, Choo said if the authorities were serious about reducing Malaysia’s obesity rate, they should start with the food served in school canteens as well as the cafeterias at private and government institutions.

“There should be some kind of regulation in schools and offices, especially for those who are office-bound and have no choice other than their cafeteria.

“You would be shocked to know what is being served there, and in school canteens,” Choo said, listing roti canai, nuggets, sausages, French fries and burgers as just some of the menu items.

Helena Lee, a retired human resources manager, agreed that not many private companies paid attention to the health of their staff.

“In some offices, there are soft drink vending machines and these drinks are even subsidised by the company,” Lee, 58, told FMT.

“I’m not sure if these subsidies will continue, but if they do, even when the prices of soft drinks increase these employees will still benefit from them.”

Noting that such vending machines were also available to the public at places like LRT stations, she said introducing a tax on soft drinks alone was not enough if the government wished to address obesity among the people.

“The government isn’t offering an alternative for consumers,” she said.

“In Western countries, there are an abundance of alternatives such as pure fruit juices and milk or dairy-based drinks that are available at much lower prices.

“Even when the prices of soft drinks increase, they will still be cheaper than pure juices or pure dairy drinks. The tax is supposed to be aimed at changing Malaysians’ tastebuds, but if there aren’t any healthier and more affordable alternatives, I don’t think change will be possible.”

Even without the sugar tax, Lee said, pure fruit juices and drinks with high milk content were already expensive.

“To me, consuming sugar is more of a culture or habit in certain countries, including Malaysia. Only those who do not have a sweet tooth would request for less sugar in their desserts or drinks.”

Rezduan Mohd Ali, whose family has a history of diabetes, said the only reason he held back on sugary drinks was his fear of developing the disorder.

“I have tried to advise my friends, but it isn’t the same if they don’t have similar experiences with family members who have diabetes.”

He agreed with Lee that consuming sugary drinks had become more of a lifestyle choice than about checking cravings for something sweet.

“Taxing sugary drinks will not deter people from consuming them because they have adopted this lifestyle and are not motivated enough to change it if they can’t find a more appealing choice.” - FMT