Results of a Mass Media Campaign in South Africa To Promote a Sugary Drinks Tax

In South Africa, the increased consumption of sugary drinks has been associated with increased obesity rates. This first-of-its-kind study evaluated the impact of a mass media campaign on knowledge and attitudes related to sugary drinks and on public support for a proposed tax on sugary drinks in South Africa. The study demonstrated that in addition to improving knowledge and shifting attitudes about the harms of sugary drinks, media campaigns can effectively build public support for strong government action and therefore must be a component of a comprehensive obesity prevention approach. Learn more

A related report, “Lessons Learned From South Africa’s Campaign for a Tax on Sugary Beverages,” explains how a public communication and advocacy campaign mounted by Vital Strategies and a local coalition helped to build political and public support for a tax on sugary beverages that South Africa introduced in 2018, the first African country to do so.