The study, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, suggests the tax could encourage manufacturers to produce and promote healthier alternatives.
The claim comes just days after doctors in the UK joined growing calls for a 20% tax on sugary drinks and a report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) advised the government to reduce the daily intake recommendation of free sugars to just 5%.
Last year, Mexico became the first country to implement a nationwide sugar-sweetened drink tax when it introduced a c.10% tax. Mexico consumes more sugar-sweetened drinks than any other country, consuming 745 servings of Coca-Cola products per person per year, compared to a worldwide average of 94.
Dr Evan Blecher, senior economist at the American Cancer Society and author of the study, said: “Taxing sugary drinks isn’t a new concept, but given the immediacy of the global obesity problem, it’s time we got creative with how we approach it. We could get sharper effects from taxation if we tax the dose of an ingredient, like sugar or calories.
“It’s possible that the industry will see it as something that will cut their profits, and that can lead to some quite strong opposition to taxation. But actually, it could encourage them to adjust manufacturing and marketing and open up a new market for them.”