Professor Anna Lartey, an adjunct professor of nutrition at the University of Ghana, has called for the imposition of restrictive taxes on unhealthy foods in Ghana. She made this call at the 60th anniversary of the Nestlé Foundation at the University of Ghana, Legon. Professor Lartey argued that consumers are often asked to make healthier choices while living in an environment that makes those choices difficult. This observation has sparked a national conversation about the need to create a healthier food environment in Ghana.
The call for a tax on unhealthy foods is part of a broader effort to address the growing challenge of poor nutrition in Ghana. The country's national policy on non-communicable diseases recognises the need to strengthen regulation of the labelling, promotion, sale, and advertisement of food and drinks. This includes sugar-sweetened beverages, saturated and trans fats, and salt. Taxation can be one part of this broader policy response, but the question is how to structure a health-oriented tax fairly and effectively.
Ghana already uses excise duties on selected products, and non-alcoholic carbonated beverages are subject to the excise tax stamp regime. However, a tax on unhealthy foods should be carefully targeted to encourage healthier consumption choices while ensuring that the burden does not fall disproportionately on households that are already struggling with the cost of living. Clear definitions would also be necessary to ensure that the tax is applied fairly and effectively.
A proposed tax on unhealthy foods should be based on measurable nutritional criteria, with clear rules that consumers and producers can understand. This would help to ensure that the tax is applied consistently and that consumers have access to clear information about the nutritional content of food products. Warning labels on food products could also play a crucial role in helping consumers make informed choices.
Public education must go hand in hand with taxation and regulation. People cannot be expected to change their diets if they do not understand nutritional information or have access to healthier alternatives. Food safety must also remain a central concern, as efforts to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables should not overlook the safety of those foods.
The authorities should approach the proposal as part of a comprehensive nutrition strategy involving taxation, advertising controls, clear labelling, consumer education, and food safety. This would help to create a healthier food environment that is also safer for consumers. The ultimate goal should be to make the healthier choice the easier and better-informed choice.
If properly designed, transparently implemented, and regularly reviewed, taxation of unhealthy foods could form part of Ghana's wider response to poor nutrition. However, it should be accompanied by education, effective regulation, and measures that improve access to healthier food. The time has come for Ghana to move beyond telling people to eat better and begin creating an environment that makes eating better possible.
Key points
- A tax on unhealthy foods should be carefully targeted to encourage healthier consumption choices while ensuring that the burden does not fall disproportionately on households that are already struggling with the cost of living.
- Clear definitions and measurable nutritional criteria would be necessary to ensure that the tax is applied fairly and effectively.
- Public education and food safety must go hand in hand with taxation and regulation to create a healthier food environment.
