UK Government Under Increasing Pressure to Introduce Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drinks

30 Nov 2015

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30 Nov 2015 --- Ahead of today’s debate in the UK Parliament, a group of influential MPs have urged the Government to introduce a tax on sugar sweetened soft drinks to help tackle childhood obesity. The recommendation was made in a report by the Health Select Committee, which follows on from their inquiry into childhood obesity.

The Government has come under increasing pressure to include a proposal to implement the tax in its childhood obesity strategy, which is expected out early next year. Last month Public Health England, the Government agency, called on the Government to introduce the tax in its sugar reduction report.

The Health Select Committee report also calls for restrictions on marketing of unhealthy food to children and limits on price promotions on unhealthy foods.

There will be a special debate in parliament today (Monday 30th November) where MPs will discuss the merits of a sugar tax.

Chris Askew, Diabetes UK Chief Executive, said: “Almost a third of children in the UK in their final year of primary school are overweight or obese and if nothing is changed they will be at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in later life, which is a serious health condition that can lead to debilitating and life threatening complications such as amputations, heart attack and stroke. These complications are not only personally devastating to all those involved but also continue to put great pressure on an already stretched NHS.

“This is why it’s essential that there is bold and far reaching action taken across a number of areas to enable people to make healthy choices. The recent launch of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, aimed at those at high risk of Type 2 diabetes, is an important first step. But there is still more to be done, which is why we want the Government, to implement the recommendations from today’s Health Select Committee report into childhood obesity.

“As the report makes clear, a package of measures is needed for reducing childhood obesity, which includes restricting marketing of junk food to children; making food and drinks healthier; and mandatory consistent front of pack colour-coded labelling to help parents make informed choices when buying food for their families. We also support calls to introduce a tax on drinks high in sugar, reducing and rebalancing the number and type of the price promotions on unhealthy foods and setting national standards for healthy foods in the public sector. The Government should also continue to invest in educating the public about healthy living and making it easier for people to be more physically active.

“If enacted together all of these measures will provide a supportive environment to enable members of the public to live long and healthy lives.”

The UK Food & Drink Federation opposes a sugar tax. It has released the results of a recent poll that suggests that more than half of Britons do not think a tax on sugary soft drinks would tackle the nation’s obesity crisis effectively.

Only four in ten Britons think introducing a tax on sugar-sweetened soft drinks would be effective in tackling obesity, according to an independent poll of GB adults by Populus for the Food and Drink Federation. Even fewer think a ban on supermarket price promotions, for example, buy-one-get-one-free offers, would be effective.

Over two thirds of the 2,005 consumers polled think a tax on sugar-sweetened soft drinks would:

• Penalise the majority of people who consume soft drinks responsibly (67% agree)

• Increase substantially year-on-year (67% agree)

• Inevitably lead to taxes on other foods (78% agree)

Ian Wright CBE, Director General of the Food and Drink Federation, said: “Instead of presuming to speak for the British public as some health campaigners have done, we've asked consumers directly whether they think a sugar tax would be effective at tackling obesity. The public's instincts mirror what the facts are telling us – that there isn't evidence that a tax would make any difference to obesity. Last month, Public Health England, which called for a new tax on top of the 20% VAT charged on soft drinks, conceded that there was no long-term data showing it would work.

“The causes of the obesity challenge we face in this country are far more complicated than any single ingredient, food or drink. We need to follow the evidence, and help people to improve their overall diets and become more active. Food and drink companies are already playing their part by adapting recipes and limiting portion size, and are willing and ready to do more.”