We adopted a case study design, guided by a theoretical framework developed from the political economy of nutrition literature. Data were collected from 16 interviews with informants from multiple sectors, supported by media articles, journal articles, and grey literature. Data were coded and organized by thematic analysis, and synthesised into the final results.
Nutrition actors have made significant progress in generating commitment for a SSB tax by producing relevant evidence, raising awareness, advocating for action, employing resonating frames, collaborating with civil society organisations, and forming coalitions increasing their overall cohesion. Nevertheless, political commitment for a SSB tax is low and was found to be impeded by the powerful influence of the food, beverage, and sugar industries, opposition from both major Australian political parties, ideological resistance to regulation, a low quality monitoring and surveillance system for food and nutrition, and limited public advocacy. The influence of nutrition actors was also impeded by weak connections to key policy-makers and missed collaborative opportunities with pro-SSB tax organisations.
The identification of several impediments provides an explanation for why political commitment for a SSB tax is low in Australia and reveals several opportunities for how it might be generated in the future. Political commitment may come about through, for example, actions to limit the influence of industry in policy decision-making, and by strengthening the existing pro-SSB tax coalition.
方法:我们采用了案例研究设计,以营养文学的政治经济学发展而来的理论框架为指导。数据来自对来自多个部门的线人的16次访谈,在媒体文章的支持下,期刊文章,灰色文学通过专题分析对数据进行编码和组织,并合成最终结果。
结果:营养行为者通过提供相关证据,在产生对SSB税的承诺方面取得了重大进展,提高认识,倡导行动,使用共振框架,与民间社会组织合作,形成联盟,增加他们的整体凝聚力。然而,对SSB税的政治承诺很低,并且被发现受到食品强大影响的阻碍,饮料,和制糖业,来自澳大利亚两个主要政党的反对,意识形态上对监管的抵制,食品和营养的低质量监测和监测系统,和有限的公共宣传。与关键政策制定者的联系薄弱,错过了与支持SSB的税收组织的合作机会,也阻碍了营养参与者的影响。
结论:对几个障碍的识别解释了为什么澳大利亚对SSB税的政治承诺很低,并揭示了未来如何产生SSB税的几个机会。政治承诺可能会通过,例如,限制行业在政策决策中的影响力的行动,并通过加强现有的支持SSB的税收联盟。