junk food tax

Mexico’s junk-food tax cuts purchases by 5.1%

Mexico's 8 percent tax on high-calorie snacks has been successful in reducing junk food purchases, but only by a small amount and only among poor and middle-class households, a study said Tuesday.

The report published in the online journal PLOS-Medicine showed an average reduction of 5.1 percent in purchases of items subject to the tax, which was implemented in 2014. The reduction equaled only about 25 grams (0.88 ounces) per month per person.

Poorer households bought 10.2 percent less junk food, while medium-income households bought 5.8 percent less, according to bar . . .