The effectiveness of sin food taxes: Evidence from Mexico

Arturo Aguilar Esteva (), Emilio Gutierrez and Enrique Seira

Journal of Health Economics, 2021, vol. 77, issue C

Abstract: We measure the effect of a large nationwide tax reform on sugar-added drinks and caloric-dense food introduced in Mexico in 2014. Using scanner data containing weekly purchases of 47,973 barcodes by 8,130 households and an RD design, we find that calories purchased from taxed drinks and taxed food decreased respectively by 2.7% and 3%. However, this was compensated by increases from untaxed categories, such that total calories purchased did not change. We find increases in cholesterol (12.6%), sodium (5.8%), saturated fat (3.1%), carbohydrates (2%), and proteins (3.8%).

Keywords: Obesity; Sin taxes; High caloric foods and drinks; Mexico (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H20 H31 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (19)

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Working Paper: The Effectiveness of Sin Food Taxes: Evidence from Mexico (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:77:y:2021:i:c:s0167629621000400

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102455

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