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Andrew Dickens: Would a sugar tax actually solve anything?

Author
Andrew Dickens,
Publish Date
Mon, 6 May 2019, 11:55AM
I’m one of those despicable high metabolism people who seem to be able to chug-a-lug the white stuff without it hitting the sides. Photo / 123RF.
I’m one of those despicable high metabolism people who seem to be able to chug-a-lug the white stuff without it hitting the sides. Photo / 123RF.

Andrew Dickens: Would a sugar tax actually solve anything?

Author
Andrew Dickens,
Publish Date
Mon, 6 May 2019, 11:55AM

I like sugar and it appears sugar likes me.

I’m one of those despicable high metabolism people who seem to be able to chug-a-lug the white stuff without it hitting the sides.

As a kid, I used to coat my Weet-bix with the stuff. I started drinking coffee only when I realised that two teaspoons of sugar made it yummy.

Working breakfast radio I used to have a V energy drink for breakfast, much to my co-hosts disgust. But they were forgetting that I was riding a bike to work, going for long rides through the week, coaching football and running around refereeing in the weekend.

As I’ve got older the sugar cravings have eased. The invention of the $2 200-ml mini Coke bottle was fantastic. There’s just enough to go yummy and no more. I’ll have one once a week and these days that’s it for me and sugary drinks

But I know I’m lucky. My son is not blessed with the same gene. Just looking at a can of Mountain Dew will put a kilo on. He knows it and it’s a battle. When he put his mind to it and stopped the sneaky fizzy and chocolate snacking, he lost weight and combined with a good thrashing at Crossfit, he’s keeping control.

I say all this after a University of Auckland study found sugary drinks are more dangerous than high-sugar foods and are each year causing an estimated 184,000 early deaths across the globe.

It’s because of the concentration, quantity and the speed with which sugar is metabolised when consumed in liquid form rather than solid.

Predictably the researchers say it’s time New Zealand follows the UK, Mexico, Tonga and the Cook Islands and puts a tax on sugary drinks.

The cynic in me wonders how many research projects are going to be funded, before the powers that be get the answer they obviously want which is a tax. Perhaps the researchers are just as addicted to the sugary rush of research funding as the obese are to Fanta.

The problem I’ve always had with a tax is that it would have to be incredibly huge to dissuade any sugar addict from their fizz. Currently, Countdown has a 1.5-litre L&P bottle on sale for a buck a pop. Even with a 100 per cent tax, I’m pretty sure a $2 L&P would still fly out the door. I’ve always thought that passing regulation banning any serving size over 750-ml might work better. Addicts drink until the bottle is empty. Halving the bottle size might halve the consumption.

But what I find most concerning about the findings, is that New Zealand sugary drink consumption rose between 2002 and 2016, while it steadily fell in the UK and US. We drink fewer soft drinks but more juice, sports and energy drinks. All this despite the wealth of information and education that sugary drinks are bad for you.

At some stage, the social engineers have to acknowledge that no amount of tax is going to dissuade people who are determined not to listen to good advice

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