再吃糖，我可要收税了哦！

Sugar taxes are on a high. Around 40 countries and seven American cities have started to tax sugary drinks, mostly in the past few years, in order to cut the sugar consumption of people.

收糖税可谓是达到“白热化”阶段了。为了降低人们的糖类消费，大约有40个国家、七个美国城市开始对含糖饮料征税，大部分发生在过去的几年里。

Could a sugar tax work? A University of Waterloo study of the purchasing behaviour of more than 3500 people found that taxes on sugary products and labels on the front of packages can help reduce sugar consumption.

征收糖税能奏效吗?滑铁卢大学通过研究超过3500人的购买行为发现，对含糖产品征税以及在包装正面贴标签有助于降低糖类消费。

The study found that when prices increased due to taxes, or packages displayed nutrition labels such as the 'high in sugar' label on the front of packs, people bought drinks and snacks with less sugar, sodium, saturated fat and calories. Policy interventions could help consumers sour on sugary sodas and fruit juices.

研究发现，当价格因税而提升，或者在商品包装正面贴上诸如“含糖量高”的营养成分标签时，人们往往会买含糖量、钠含量、饱和脂肪和热量更低的饮料和食物。政策的介入可能会使消费者对含糖饮料和果汁反感。

David Hammond, a professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems, said, "Taxes on sugary drinks and better nutrition labels are the types of measures that can help reverse increasing rates of obesity and chronic disease from unhealthy diets. Evidence is particularly important given strong opposition from the industry. Indeed, industry lobbying has delayed and threatens to derailthe nutrition labels announced by the federal government more than a year ago."

(该校)公共卫生与卫生系统学院的教授David Hammond说，“对含糖饮料征税和改进营养标签这类措施，能帮助扭转不健康饮食导致的肥胖率和慢性病发病率上升的趋势。在业界强烈反对的情况下，证据尤其重要。事实上，业界游说团体已经拖延并威胁要阻挠(加拿大)联邦政府一年多前公布的营养标签新规。

The tax can prompt manufacturers to reformulate sugar levels downward.

糖税可以促使生产商重新调整成分，降低含糖水平。

The American Beverage Association, a trade group that says it represents the non-alcoholic beverage industry, argued in an emailed statement that “taxes on common grocery items like beverages have never really improved public health.”

美国饮料协会在一份邮件声明中表示，“对饮料等常见食品征税从未真正改善公共健康。”该行业组织表示，它代表着非酒精饮料行业。

“America’s beverage companies believe there is a better way to help people reduce the amount of sugar they get from beverages than unproductive taxes,” ABA spokesman William Dermody said. “We’re creating more drinks with less or no sugar and we’re making smaller bottle and can options more widely available, and boosting consumer demand for these options through our marketing. Today, 50% of all beverages sold contain zero sugar.”

“美国饮料公司相信，相比无效的征税，还会有更好的办法降低人们从饮料中摄入的糖分，”美国饮料协会发言人William Dermody说。“我们正在生产更多少糖或无糖的饮料，我们也正在推广小容量的瓶装和罐装饮料，并通过营销提升消费者对这些选择的需求。50%的饮料都是无糖的。”

Is sugar tax appropriate? Boris Johnson, the prime minister of the UK, sparked a debate on whether taxation is the best way to tackle problems spawning from alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and unhealthy food and drink last month.

征收糖税是否合适?上个月，围绕着征税是否是解决酗酒、吸烟、赌博和不健康饮食等问题的最佳方法，英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊引发了一场辩论。

The sugar tax took effect in 2018 in England. Boris Johnson claimed that a review is needed to analyse whether these ‘sin taxes’ unfairly target poorer households, which tend to spend a larger proportion of their income on such products. Taxing alcohol and tobacco has become the weapon of choice of governments around the world in controlling consumption, but as discussion evolves into new areas – from vaping to sugary drinks – questions are being raised about the effectiveness of sin taxes.

英国于2018年开始征收糖税。鲍里斯·约翰逊称，有必要对糖税进行评估，来分析这些“罪恶之税”是否不公平地针对了较为贫困的家庭，他们往往要把收入的一大部分花在这些产品上。对世界各国的政府而言，就酒精和烟草征税已经成为它们控制消费的首选武器，但随着讨论发展到新的领域——从电子烟到含糖饮料，人们对“罪恶之税”的有效性提出了质疑。

Talking about the rationality of the policy, supporters say such levies compensate for the costs imposed on health services by higher rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. They might also help short-termist buyers avoid the long-term consequences of sugary indulgences. Opponents counter that such levies are a fun-killer, souring people’s pleasure, and regressive, because poorer people spend a bigger share of their incomes on soft drinks. Most people think the responsibility for tackling obesity lies primarily with individuals themselves and families.

就该政策的合理性，支持者称，这些税收是对肥胖症、糖尿病和心脏病高发病率对医疗服务造成的成本的补偿。税收也可能会帮助短视的消费者避免沉溺糖分带来的长期后果。反对者认为，这些税收是一个乐趣杀手，破坏了人们的快乐，是一种倒退，因为穷人花很大一部分收入在软饮料上。大多数人认为，解决肥胖症问题的责任主要在于个体和家庭。

Recently, based on the effect of the policy, health campaigners are urging the government to introduce a new “calorie tax” to tackle childhood obesity, diabetes and cancer. The existing sugar tax has been widely praised by doctors and health experts but campaigners want to go further by targeting sweet, fatty foods such as chocolate confectionery, ice creams, puddings, chocolate spreads and milk-based drinks.

最近，基于(糖税)政策的效应，健康活动人士敦促政府出台一项新“卡路里税”，以解决儿童肥胖症、糖尿病和癌症问题。现有的糖税广受医生和健康专家好评，但活动人士想要更进一步，将目标锁定在巧克力糖、冰淇淋、布丁、巧克力酱和牛奶饮料等甜食和高脂肪食品上。

A levy on companies producing processed food with high levels of fat and sugar would encourage them to create more nutritional snacks, according to campaign groups Action on Sugar and Action on Salt.

活动团体“糖与盐行动”表示，对生产高脂肪和高糖分食品的公司而言，征税能鼓励他们生产更多营养食品。