Shifting sweetness: impacts of South Africa's Health Promotion Levy on sugar-sweetened beverages

Tim Cejka, Marlies Piek and Mazhar Waseem

No wp-2025-21, WIDER Working Paper Series from World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER)

Abstract: Sin taxes are increasingly being used to discourage the consumption of goods perceived to harm individuals and society. This paper examines the impact of South Africa's Health Promotion Levy (HPL)—the first sugar tax implemented in Africa—on the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in the country. Using comprehensive data from excise returns submitted by manufacturers and importers of SSBs, we find that the HPL was extremely effective in reducing the consumption of sugar through these beverages.

Keywords: Tax; Commodities; Taxation; Health; Promotion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-hea
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