Tax on Junk Foods

Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry would consider (i) a tax on junk foods that contain excessive amounts of sugar and/or saturated fat; and (ii) using the revenue raised for health promotion activities or to subsidise the cost of basic foodstuffs for needy Singaporeans.

The:

Minister of State for Health (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan) (for the Minister for Health): My Ministry has explored introducing taxes on food high in sugar and saturated fat as part of a strategy for addressing the rising problem of obesity in Singapore.

Countries like the USA, Denmark, France and Canada have introduced taxes on sugared beverages whilst Denmark became the first country to introduce a tax on food high in saturated fat just this October. However, we are cautious about introducing similar taxes in Singapore. It is early days yet. First, there is not yet any international consensus on the effectiveness of taxation as an obesity control measure. There is not much clear evidence to show that such taxes decrease the rates of obesity. Second, there may be unintended consequences. Such taxes will raise food prices which disproportionately affect Singaporeans with lower income who spend a greater proportion of their income on food. My Ministry will continue to study the impact of such taxes in other countries. We will also monitor the levels of saturated fat and sugar in our food supply and consumption pattern through regular surveys.

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For now we will use other ways to achieve the aim of promoting healthy eating among Singaporeans. The Heath Promotion Board (HPB) is stepping up its effort to do so. Foods that are lower in sugar and saturated fat content are available under the healthier choice symbol, HCS programme. HPB is working with AVA on regulation of trans fat in Singapore. In addition HPB works with food manufacturers and hawker centres to make healthier foods affordable to consumers. HPB is also collaborating with the industry to research and develop healthier foods to its newly established Centre of Excellence for Nutrition.

I would like to assure Dr Chia that we have sufficient funding for health promotion programmes, both at the national level as well as locally. There are also various assistance schemes to help low-income families, such as the ComCare Fund administered by the CDCs.

Dr Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar): I thank the Minister of State for the reply. A point of clarification. The point I was trying to bring up was a specific tax on junk foods that was tabled by WHO a few years back. I fully do appreciate the problems with administering a tax on sugar or fat which some countries have done, and where the results have perhaps not quite lived up to expectations. And the other point is probably because the reason why there has been no data on this is because no country has specifically put a tax on junk foods per se as of today. So, it is just my hope that Singapore might take the lead in this respect.

Mr Speaker: Dr Chia, is that a question or –

Dr Chia Shi-Lu: It was a point of clarification.

Mr Speaker: Very well. We shall move on, then. Mr Zainudin Nordin.