The Department of Health is proposing to tax more types of sugary drinks!
Speaking to the media, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin pointed out that the Ministry of Health proposed to levy a sugary drink tax on more categories of sugary drinks to reduce the risk of people developing chronic diseases.
The sugary drinks tax was introduced in July 2019 and will be levied on drinks containing more than 5g of sugar or saccharin per 100ml (mL), as well as fruit juices or vegetable drinks containing more than 12g of sugar per 100ml. These drinks will be taxed at 40 cents per litre.
Some people might argue that the government’s tax on sugary drinks is just for the Treasury, not for people’s health. That’s not true, as some beverage companies have reduced the amount of sugar in their drinks to avoid being taxed on sugary drinks and for fear that higher prices will hurt sales. This could effectively reduce people’s daily sugar intake.
The Ministry of Health now aims to include more types of sugary drinks in the tax, which could include instant coffee.
