New tax on salted snacks

Government is launching a fresh onslaught on unhealthy snacks, with a 20 per cent tax on salted treats to be levied from this June on a range of popular items.

Admonishing citizens to live longer and live better, Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs Ryan Straughn on Monday gave notice of the new excise tax as he delivered his first Budgetary Proposals in the Lower Chamber of the House of Assembly.

The high-salt snacks singled out by the Government to be hit with the new tax include Pringles, Lays chips, salted nuts and popcorn, corn curls, Hot Balls, Cheezees, Tortilla chips, salted pretzels and crackers.

The minister told the House that non communicable diseases are wreaking havoc on the health of this country’s citizens with Barbados confronting a “chronic epidemic” with two out of every three falling into the category of “obese” or overweight and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some cancers, accounting for over 80 per cent of all deaths.

Touting the use of deterrent taxation to offset the expenditures incurred because of unhealthy behaviours, Straughn said. “It is recognised by this Government that in some instances, we need strong public education to change behaviour and not taxes alone.”

In this regard, he said government will spend $1 million annually in public education over the next two years to support its healthier lifestyle push.

The new salty snack tax follows the implementation a year ago of a National Schools Nutrition Policy aimed at curbing the availability of unhealthy foods available to students in the local school system and the earlier imposition of a tax on sweetened beverages. The minister noted that citizens must start to take greater responsibility for their own health, changing their sedentary lifestyles and eating habits. He urged Barbadians to work with Government to change the nation’s eating habits.

Straughn noted that the Mottley administration will be reviewing  both the high sugar and high salt content items in two years, in an effort to keep up its commitment to “stem the tide” regarding a national nutrition policy.

(SP)