{"id":23927,"date":"2016-01-14T15:30:34","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T21:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=23927"},"modified":"2016-01-14T15:30:34","modified_gmt":"2016-01-14T21:30:34","slug":"chicagos-soda-tax-debate-bubbles-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/chicagos-soda-tax-debate-bubbles-over\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago\u2019s soda tax debate bubbles over"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Talia Beechick<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sweetened beverage sales decreased in Mexico by 12 percent after the country added an extra tax for the products, reigniting the debate in Chicago on the proposed \u201csoda tax\u201d before the City Council.<\/p>\n

Mexico\u2019s tax on sugar-sweetened drinks also spurred increased sales of untaxed beverages such as bottled water, according to a study released earlier this month conducted by researchers in Mexico and the U.S.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tax is the best alternative to decreasing sugar consumption while still enabling people a sugary treat,\u201d said Alderman George Cardenas (12th), who has been advocating for a sales tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in Chicago since 2012. \u201cThe tax is not going to stop all residents from consuming sugar, but it is a more conscious-laden choice at a higher price.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not everyone agrees. In response to Cardenas\u2019 proposal, the Illinois Beverage Association formed the Chicago Coalition Against Beverage Taxes, an initiative made up of citizens, businesses and community organizations who argue the tax would raise costs for working class families and lead to job cuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tax is just a money grab for the city government to fix the budget,\u201d the coalition wrote on their website. \u201cWhat\u2019s more, local businesses, like restaurants and grocery stores, will also take a hit. Chicago can\u2019t afford more job losses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Published in the British Medical Journal, the recent Mexico study examined 6,253 households in 53 cities across the country. It found that in 2014, the average urban Mexican purchased 4.2 fewer liters of taxed beverages than expected without the tax. In addition, untaxed beverages saw a 4 percent increase in sales, which translates to the purchase of 12.8 more liters of untaxed beverages by the average urban Mexican.<\/p>\n

Study researcher Shu Wen Ng, a global public health expert, emphasized that Mexico\u2019s model featured an excise tax, rather than Chicago\u2019s proposed sales tax. The sales tax is added to the cost at checkout, which may not sway consumers\u2019 behavior as effectively.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Mexico case is of an excise tax, which is levied on distributors and manufacturers, rather than sales taxes that, in the U.S., won\u2019t be seen at the shelf and thus might not affect consumer choices,\u201d Ng said. \u201cTo try to influence purchase decisions, excise taxes are the way to go.\u201d <\/p>\n

The study in Mexico was released just one day before the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services announced new dietary guidelines for Americans. Updated every five years since 1980, these guidelines have largely focused on encouraging Americans to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dietary guidelines are a goal for individuals and their families to consume a healthy, nutritionally adequate diet,\u201d said Erin Utz, a registered dietician at Northwestern Medicine\u2019s Center for Lifestyle Medicine. \u201cI agree with the latest dietary guidelines. They focus more on healthy food groups versus individual nutrients and healthy eating patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was the first year, however, the guidelines addressed added sugars, recommending they make up less than 10 percent of Americans\u2019 diets.<\/p>\n

Sources of added sugar in the U.S. population by percentage<\/h2>\n

[field name=”addedsugar”]<\/p>\n

Nearly half of the sources of added sugar for American consumers come from beverages. Source: health.gov (Talia Beechick\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n

\u201cI agree with the limit on added sugar,\u201d Utz said. \u201cToo much added sugar in your diet can lead to excess calories, weight gain, increases in blood sugar and worsened chronic disease.\u201d Utz listed the major sources of added sugar in Americans\u2019 diet, which include cereals, cakes, cookies, and, you guessed it, sweetened drinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo much sugar could lead to health complications, such as increased belly fat that may put one at risk for diabetes and heart disease,\u201d echoed registered dietician Lauri Wright, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwenty ounces of sweetened soda adds 240 calories and has no vitamins, minerals or protein,\u201d Wright said. \u201cOften people will drink soda instead of a healthier drink such as low-fat milk and lose out on important nutrients such as calcium and protein.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cardenas\u2019 proposed soda tax aims to deter Chicago residents from choosing the can of pop over the carton of low-fat milk by charging a penny-per-ounce for taxed beverages. This would mean a 72-cent tax on a six-pack of 12-ounce cans, while a 24-can case of soda would jump $2.88 due to the tax.<\/p>\n

2010 per capita beverage consumption in the U.S.<\/h2>\n
\"Sugar
The average American consumed almost 50 gallons of soda in 2010. Source: Beverage Marketing Corporation (Talia Beechick\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cHealthier lifestyles should not be viewed as a hindrance to residents or businesses,\u201d Cardenas said. \u201cBusinesses may view the tax as an economic misfortune, yet they need to be responsible for what they provide for residents. The negative backlash is typical of the alcohol and tobacco taxes which have both proven to be successful for healthier lifestyles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Utz supported government encouragement of healthier lifestyles, and compared measures to reduce sugar consumption to smoking regulations, a successful catalyst in reducing smoking rates.<\/p>\n

\u201cLocal and federal guidelines should be implemented to guide individuals to healthier eating patterns,\u201d Utz said. \u201cHealthier foods should be less expensive and therefore it would be an incentive for people to purchase these foods that are good for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wright, however, seemed uncertain a tax would provide the best results.<\/p>\n

\u201cThough it seems like an effective plan to tax sugary drinks, studies have been mixed on whether it actually works,\u201d Wright said. \u201cOther ways of supporting this change may include more availability of water and milk rather than sodas in vending machines.”<\/p>\n

Chicago residents such as Bimala Gossi, a cashier at a local convenience store, said the tax isn\u2019t right but that it wouldn\u2019t change their behavior.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey shouldn\u2019t make me pay more,\u201d Gossi said. \u201cCoke is my favorite. I drink it every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew Pear, who works in banking, agreed, claiming even if the city taxed diet sodas, which are not sweetened with added sugars, his behavior would not change.<\/p>\n

\u201cI drink roughly six to 12 cans a day of Diet Dr. Pepper,\u201d Pear said. \u201cAnd I would drink the same amount if they doubled the price.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cardenas said he hopes to bring the issue to light again in the spring.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ordinance is being revamped through collaboration with the American Heart Association, Illinois Partnership for Health, and the Illinois African American Center for Prevention and more,\u201d Cardenas said. \u201cWe will be working with them to create a template of success based on their extensive work throughout other cities and nationwide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vending machines give the public easy access to sugar-sweetened beverages. (Talia Beechick\/MEDILL) <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Talia Beechick Sweetened beverage sales decreased in Mexico by 12 percent after the country added an extra tax for the products, reigniting the debate in Chicago on the proposed \u201csoda tax\u201d before the City Council. Mexico\u2019s tax on sugar-sweetened drinks also spurred increased sales of untaxed beverages such as bottled water, according to a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":230,"featured_media":23931,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,30,585],"tags":[685,684,683,82,686,138,192,682,166],"class_list":["post-23927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-and-science","category-public-affairs","category-winter-2016","tag-added-sugar","tag-beverage-tax","tag-chicago-soda-tax","tag-diet","tag-dietary-guidelines","tag-nutrition","tag-promo","tag-soda-tax","tag-sugar"],"yoast_head":"\nChicago\u2019s soda tax debate bubbles over - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/chicagos-soda-tax-debate-bubbles-over\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chicago\u2019s soda tax debate bubbles over - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Talia Beechick Sweetened beverage sales decreased in Mexico by 12 percent after the country added an extra tax for the products, reigniting the debate in Chicago on the proposed \u201csoda tax\u201d before the City Council. 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