Soda Taxes: The Importance of Analysing Policy Processes; Comment on “The Untapped Power of Soda Taxes: Incentivising Consumers, Generating Revenue, and Altering Corporate Behaviours”

Le Bodo, Yann; De Wals, Philippe

doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2017.126

Soda Taxes: The Importance of Analysing Policy Processes; Comment on “The Untapped Power of Soda Taxes: Incentivising Consumers, Generating Revenue, and Altering Corporate Behaviours”

Document Type : Commentary

Authors

Yann Le Bodo ¹^{, 2}

Philippe De Wals ¹^{, 3}

¹ Evaluation Platform on Obesity Prevention (EPOP), Quebec Heart and Lung University Institute Research Center – Laval University (Université Laval), Quebec City, QC, Canada

² Faculty of Nursing, Laval University (Université Laval), Quebec City, QC, Canada

³ Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University (Université Laval), Quebec City, QC, Canada

10.15171/ijhpm.2017.126

Abstract

Sarah A. Roache and Lawrence O. Gostin’s recent editorial comprehensively presents soda taxation rationales from a public health perspective. While we essentially agree that soda taxes are gaining momentum, this commentary expands upon the need for a better understanding of the policy processes underlying their development and implementation. Indeed, the umbrella concept of soda taxation actually covers a diversity of objectives and mechanisms, which may not only condition the feasibility and acceptability of a proposal, but also alter its impact. We briefly highlight some conditions that may have influenced soda tax policy processes and why further theory-driven case studies may be instructive.

Keywords

Soda Tax

Sugar

Food and Nutrition

Policy Process

Health Promotion

Subjects

Health Policy Analysis

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