Two years into the Newfoundland and Labrador’s sugar tax experiment, education, not taxation, is enabling balanced, healthy lives in Atlantic Canada.
OPINION | BY KRISTA SCALDWELL | June 21, 2024
Do you ever wonder why your friends and family drink more soda water, “diet” beverages and mini cans? This is no accident. In fact, this shift in consumer habits was set in motion almost ten years ago.
Recent findings published by the Conference Board of Canada in 2023 found that across product sub-categories, lower-calorie beverages represented 58 percent of the non-alcoholic market in Canada in 2021. In other words, lower-calorie beverages are significantly outselling higher-calorie options in Canada. In Atlantic Canada, recent polling completed by Narrative shows that over half of those who consume at least one non-alcoholic beverage a day are more likely to choose a low—or no-calorie sweetened beverage.
It’s no secret that consuming excess calories isn’t good for you, whether from sugar-sweetened beverages or other foods. But how can you find balance in your lifestyle? The Canadian Beverage Association (CBA), the voice for the non-alcoholic beverage sector in Canada, and its members believe that consumer education, over taxation, is the way to find balance.
As a catalyst for action, the CBA launched the Balanced Calories Initiative (BCI) in 2015 as a collaborative effort to reduce the number of calories Canadians consume from non-alcoholic beverages. Under the initiative, a target was set to reduce the number of calories consumed from non-alcoholic beverages by 20 percent in the decade between 2015 and 2025.
Beverage companies have invested significantly in research and development to create low- and no-calorie beverage options for consumers. The work has ranged from smaller serving sizes to recipe reformulations and new product development. This proactive and voluntary initiative demonstrates the industry’s commitment to public health and reflects its role in influencing dietary habits.
Although we all have fun trying the new and exciting flavours and formulas popping up on grocery shelves – myself included – product change alone is not enough to encourage Canadians to consider beverage options with less sugar.
Recently, some jurisdictions worldwide have introduced a sugar-sweetened beverage tax. The results of these experimental policies in other jurisdictions have been mixed, but most have failed to substantially reduce caloric consumption. Some, like in Mexico, have just resulted in consumers switching to other high-calorie foods. While some have claimed reductions in consumption, improved dental health, and reduced cardiovascular disease, there remains a lack of substantive evidence that sugar taxes substantially improve long-term health outcomes.
The CBA believes that educating consumers and providing choices, not taxation is the key to encouraging Canadians to live more balanced, healthy lives. Knowledge is power, and consumers have the right to make informed decisions. When we prioritize education over taxation, consumers are equipped with the ability to make the best decision for themselves on the path to a healthier lifestyle.
The factors associated with obesity are complex and include health behaviours such as eating habits and daily physical activity, as well as broader social, environmental, and biological determinants. Beverage consumption education is a holistic approach to meaningfully equipping individuals with the skills to adopt healthier habits and lifestyles.
Transparent labelling is another critical factor influencing beverage choices. Clear and easy-to-understand nutritional information on packaging further enables consumers to make informed decisions. It is for this reason that the beverage industry launched Clear on Calories, a voluntary, national Canadian beverage industry initiative that makes the number of calories in Canadian Beverage Association members’ products even more precise and consumer-friendly, helping Canadians to make informed beverage choices for themselves and their families at every point of purchase.
Ultimately, reducing calorie consumption requires a proactive and multifaceted approach, and that’s just what Canada’s non-alcoholic beverage industry is doing to empower consumers to make healthier choices. The industry has voluntarily demonstrated the positive public health outcomes possible through reformulation, portion control, transparent labelling, product innovation, and educational efforts.
With one year to go to the BCI finish line, non-alcoholic beverage calories consumed in Canada are in a strong downtrend, and we’re confident in the Canadian beverage industry’s ability to meet the 20 percent reduction target.
Personally, I believe consumers should applaud all the hard work the beverage sector has put into making this happen. We remain committed to being the catalyst for continued positive change that will benefit consumers in conjunction with government health education initiatives.
Krista Scaldwell is president of the Canadian Beverage Association. In 2020, Scaldwell was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Women of Influence by the Women’s Executive Network. She is also on the board of the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation and Trent University.