GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has called on authorities to implement a tax on unhealthy foods as a measure to curb obesity and related health issues.
Its president Mohideen Abdul Kader said this call follows the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, which revealed that Malaysians are facing a non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis with a rise in overweight and obesity rates.
“One major concern is the impact of ultra-processed food (UPF) products on weight gain and the risk of several NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer.
“In fact, ultra-processed foods, which are high in energy, added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats but low in fibre, protein, and micronutrients, have seen a significant shift from consuming whole or minimally processed foods to UPFs over the past few decades,” he said in a statement today.
He attributed this shift to changes in food production and distribution systems, increased UPF marketing, lifestyle changes leading to higher demand for convenience foods and economic factors making UPFs more affordable and accessible.
He said a new peer-reviewed analysis by Imperial College Business School reveals that implementing taxes on high-fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) foods, including UPFs, can reduce their sales, purchases and consumption.
To date, 16 countries have introduced such taxes, and in Mexico, an eight per cent tax on non-essential, energy-dense foods including candies, chocolates, sugary cereals, chips and salty snacks has led to an 18 per cent reduction in supermarket sales, and up to a 40 percent reduction in other retailers.
“Based on this scenario, CAP urges the government to implement a tax on all types of unhealthy foods and develop a long-term plan with incentives. We also propose policy initiatives such as extending the sugar tax to include all high-sugar foods, beyond just sweetened beverages and pre-mixed drinks,” he said.
He also suggested introducing a tax on ultra-processed foods like instant noodles, snacks and processed meat products, and developing and enforcing stricter food labelling regulations to ensure consumers can easily identify the nutritional content of products they purchase.
Mohideen also proposed that the government provide subsidies for healthy, fresh or minimally processed foods for low-income households to make healthier choices more affordable and run educational and awareness campaigns to inform consumers about the dangers of high UPF consumption and promote healthy eating habits.
