Salt reduction and sugar tax, what’s the real story?
From: VIJAY SEWTAHAL
THE REDUCTION of salt content in food on our shopping lists is most welcome. Very few consumers read the labels regarding the salt content on food products.
It would also be interesting to see how the government implements the 20 percent tax on sugary drinks.
Then you also have alcoholic drinks like beer that contain large amounts of sugar. What about imported beverages that contain sugar?
I have asked for sugar free cakes in the bakery section of some supermarkets and got the blunt response of ungaaz or aikona (I don’t know or we don’t have, respectively). Fortunately, there are many healthy bread products on the shelves that even carry the Heart Foundation logo.
Another serious health hazard is tobacco smoking. The contemplated sale of cigarette packets with no brand names will not deter smokers. This will bolster the sale of counterfeit and contraband cigarettes for which the government loses millions in tax revenue.
One drastic measure to
Clare Estate
deter smokers would be to have the pirate logo of a skull and crossbones on one side of the packet and a body hanging from a noose on the other side with the bold print smoking kills.
The South African authorities must be commended for taking measures to protect its citizens. Unfortunately, if any such measures are not properly monitored the manufacturers will simply increase the price of their products.
Not in a million years will I believe that Pravin Gordhan had the health of South Africans in his mind when he suggested a “sugar tax”.
Thanks to his boss and the minions, Gordhan has to think up new ways to bring in some more money to finance the excesses of the government.
Like dozens of taxes before it, this will be just another way to part South Africans from their money.
The only consolation is that it will be spread out across the races and not just targeted at the so-called “advantaged”.
Is it any surprise that major corporations are reluctant to invest in our country considering the International Monetary Fund have us penned in for a 0.1 percent growth in 2016.