Public perception of the tax on sweetened beverages in France

Objective: To assess in 2021 the acceptance and perception of the French tax on sweetened beverages, following its revision in 2018, and factors associated with a higher level of acceptance.

Design: A cross-sectional survey within the NutriNet-Santé cohort study. Participants were invited to complete a self-reported questionnaire in March 2021. Weighting was applied to the sample to allow inferences on the French population. Individual characteristics associated with support for the tax were investigated using logistic regression modelling.

Settings: NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study.

Participants: Adults engaged in the NutriNet-Santé cohort, aged 18 years or older (n 28 344), living in mainland France.

Results: Almost two-thirds (63·4 %) of the participants were aware of the existence of a tax on sweetened beverages, although less than a quarter had specific knowledge regarding its design and the 2018 revision. In turn, 64·7 % of participants expressed a favourable opinion towards the taxation scheme. This proportion was higher if tax revenues were used to finance health-related measures (respectively 68·8 % of favourable opinion if used to finance a reduction in prices of healthy products and 76·4 % if used to finance the healthcare system). Multivariable analyses showed that support towards the tax varied among subgroups of the population. Groups who tended to be less financially affected by the measure and those who perceived sugar-sweetened beverages as having detrimental effects were more likely to support the tax.

Conclusion: The revised French sugar-sweetened beverage tax appeared to be favourably received and perceived by the public.