A food tax based on percentage of fat, salt and sugar, may be considered by policymakers based on scientifically supported criteria, a World Bank study has recommended during a consultation workshop in Vava’u.

The workshop aimed to ensure the perspectives and experience of stakeholders on the outer island was included in the recommendations for future national policies, after a similar workshop was held in Tongatapu on September 3.

Dr. Sutayut Osornprasop, World Bank Team Leader said the key findings from the study showed that positive impacts from the taxation policy to address NCD have been observed. The tax made cigarettes less affordable and affected the behaviors of smokers.

In addition, the tax on turkey tails and mutton flaps have significantly raised the prices of these products, and that the Tongans consumed these products less frequently compared with the pre-tax period.

He said significant number of consumers also shifted to cheaper and unhealthy substitutes, which were not subject to NCD tax.

“Policymakers may consider applying clear scientifically supported criteria in designing food tax example based on percentage of fat, salt and sugar,” he said.

In addition, the study showed that the lack of affordable, healthy food options remains a major challenge, and hence extra efforts are needed to make healthy food alternatives more affordable and accessible to the population.

Smokers

He said around 18% of smokers have reduced consumption of manufactured cigarettes, and that the tobacco tax appears to have greater impacts on the ’less well off’, as more of those have reduced consumption of manufactured cigarettes.

However, the effects of the tobacco tax policy are diluted due to the shift to cheap and untaxed substitutes. Around 20% of smokers of manufactured cigarettes have shifted to consume Tapaka Tonga. Tapaka Tonga remains the key unhealthy substitute – widely accessible and affordable. Commercialized Tapaka Tonga should be taxed.

Taxation is not the only policy needed to change the behaviour of the community. School programs, local healthy food production incentives, price control policy and enforcement, public awareness campaigns, education and training and collaboration with church leaders were all highlighted as strategies to complement the taxation policy, he said.

The Minister of Internal Affairs Hon. Losaline Ma'asi attended with 40 participants from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Customs and Revenue, Ministry of Education & Training as well as church leaders, WHO, FAO, and other representatives.