Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Beta_Ray_Bill t1_j62nrmn wrote

Reply to comment by shiruken in The implementation of a soft drinks industry levy in the UK in 2018 was associated with an 8% reduction in obesity among 10-11 year old girls with the greatest reductions seen in those living in the most deprived areas. No such association was found in 10-11 year old boys or younger children. by shiruken

They tried the sugary drink tax in Illinois years ago. Iirc everyone in Chicago just went to the suburbs to buy Soda. It actually ended up costing the city and repealed it before too awful long...

−1

HiddenStoat t1_j62pgqq wrote

Why would people drive miles out of their way to save a few cents? Surely the cost in gas and time would make that uneconomical?

26

Beta_Ray_Bill t1_j62qj6w wrote

It wasn't just Chicago. It was the whole of Cook County. (My bad forgot to mention that). Last place I lived in Chicagoland I was moved out to the northwest. Just a few miles from Lake County, and Marb Reds were 55 cents cheaper.

Now imagine if your fam drinks soda, tea, Hi-c, Hawaiian Punch, Kool Aid, or any juice not exclusively fresh squeezed... Its a tax per ounce. Even on the kool-aid powder! Dole and Ocean Spray got hit too.

So many people stocked up outside of the County they took it back. Now you tell me.

2

Gremlinintheengine t1_j64ijkj wrote

Yeah I live close to the TN/ GA border. We cross the line to buy groceries because sales tax is cheaper in GA. Houses are cheaper there too, but we won't move there because GA has an income tax that would make living a mile south way more expensive.

0

shiruken OP t1_j648qz4 wrote

That was a direct tax on consumption though (i.e. the consumer was taxed). The UK's is a tax on the production of sugar-sweetened beverages as an incentive for manufacturers to reduce the amount of sugar in their products.

Also, there's evidence that Chicago's sugar tax actually worked. According to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, purchases of the taxed beverages decreased by 21%, even after accounting for cross-border shopping.

7