The high cost of eating well

The Sun

4 days ago

AS the cost of living continues to rise in Malaysia, driven in part by the Sales and Service Tax (SST), more families will find it harder to put nutritious food on the table.
While SST may not apply to all food products, its indirect effect through higher transport, service and business operation costs will push up prices of most food items, including fresh vegetables, fruits and basic groceries.
Notably, tropical fruits like bananas, pineapples and rambutans will be taxed at 5%, along with imported fruits such as grapes, berries, avocados, lychees and starfruit. These are not luxury items; they are daily dietary staples for millions of urban Malaysians, providing essential nutrients like fibre, vitamin C, antioxidants and healthy fats.
In many cases, these imported fruits cannot be produced locally at a sufficient scale, making them irreplaceable within the current food system.
What used to be an affordable balanced meal will now become a budgeting challenge. Families from all walks of life and across all income levels now have to prioritise affordability over nutrition.
While economic policies aim to boost national revenue, their ripple effects will be deeply felt in household kitchens where meals will increasingly be shaped by price rather than nutritional value. This shift is understandable but will come at a cost to our health.
Middle-income families are also struggling to stretch their budgets, opting for quantity over quality to feed their households. This growing 'health affordability gap' is dangerous. It can lead to a population that is fed but undernourished.
This issue ties closely to dietary inequality where socioeconomic status, lifestyle, geography and systemic access will determine not just how much food people can buy but the quality of that food.
Today's dietary patterns are increasingly unsafe, unstable and unequal, especially for a significant portion of the population. When good nutrition becomes inaccessible, the consequences will be felt across the entire nation.
This dietary shift will drive a surge in malnutrition and rising obesity rates, especially among urban low-income communities where access to fresh, healthy food is limited.
Poor diets compromise immune function, leading to more sick days and reduced workplace productivity. This will place a heavier burden on the national healthcare system. For children, the effects can be more
severe – ranging from stunted growth, reduced cognitive performance to long-term health complications.
If this issue remains unaddressed, the gap between those who can afford to eat well and those who cannot will continue to widen, posing a serious threat not only to individual well-being but also to Malaysia's social stability, economic resilience and long-term development.
If no measures are taken, the post-SST future may bring:
Increased demand for public healthcare due to a rise in diet-related illnesses;
Greater strain on school feeding programmes as more children arrive undernourished; and
Widening social gaps between families who can afford balanced meals and those who cannot.
Good nutrition is a right and necessity
The government should zero-rate SST for essential nutritious items, including imported fruits. Fruits are a vital daily source of vitamin and fibre, and access to them should not be limited by income level.
Nutritional equity must go beyond borders – good health should not depend on whether a fruit is grown locally or imported.
Additionally, supermarkets and grocers should be encouraged to offer rotational weekly discounts on local and commonly imported fruits under
a 'Healthy Fruit for All' initiative, making nutritious choices more accessible to everyone.
Many urban families rely on promotions to guide their purchasing decisions. Clearly labelled discounts on local and essential food items can improve affordability and encourage healthier eating habits.
Good nutrition is not a luxury; it is a fundamental right that must be protected through inclusive policies and practical, accessible solutions.
The SST rollout may be necessary for economic sustainability but nutrition must not become collateral damage. Without intervention, we risk reversing progress on Sustainable Development Goals related to health, hunger and inequality.
Every action we take now will determine whether Malaysia remains on track towards the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development or fall into a nutrition divide that will harm generations to come.
Let us ensure that the right to eat well does not become a privilege. A healthy Malaysia begins with affordable nutrition for all.
Dr Salini Devi Rajendran is a senior lecturer at Taylor's Culinary Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management, Taylor's University.
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