The health promotion levy, commonly known as the sugary drinks tax, was introduced in April 2018, at a watered-down 11% instead of the proposed 20% recommended by the World Health Organisation to effectively reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and fight obesity and its associated non-communicable diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension and Stroke. In …
HEALA’s research into over 60 Gauteng schools in 2018 found high consumption of overly processed unhealthy foods, very little regulation of tuck-shops and food vendors, a lot of beverage industry branding in and around schools, a general lack of knowledge about healthy food and healthy eating, as well as the socio-economic determinants of what informs …
South African shops are inundated with pre-packaged foods that are processed with high levels of added sugars, salt, and saturated fats. The dominance of these unhealthy products in stores, incomprehensible food labels and aggressive advertising by the food industry undermine the consumers’ ability to choose healthier food options. We advocate for front-of-package warning labels so that people know exactly what’s in their food, so they can make more informed decisions.