Tax on fatty foods finds favour among Indians

In a recent survey, 79 per cent citizens voted in favour of tax on high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) foods while 88 per cent citizens voted in support of ban on advertisement of HFSS foods on television channels meant for children.

Over 9,000 people across India participated in the poll by the citizen engagement platform LocalCircles.

In April, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India proposed a tax on all packaged foods with high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) content and a ban on their advertising on children television channels.

Poll participants also felt that the government should lower prices of healthy and nutritious foods in a move to economically incentivise them.

LocalCircles also asked citizens, if the government should also give an equivalent subsidy on healthy and nutritious foods in value of tax on HFSS foods. Of the 8,243 votes that came in, 74 per cent agreed with it.

Citizens also preferred a ban on HFSS foods in school and college canteens.