UK call for Sugar Tax

A UK public health body has called for a 10-20% “sugar tax” on soft drinks and moves to limit the marketing and promotion of sugary foods to children.

Public Health England’s report says: “The environmental drivers of poor diets we face are just too big. Implementing a broad, structured program of parallel measures to reduce the impact of influences that increase consumption, reduce the sugar content of food and drinks, and support people in making healthier choices through information and education, would be likely to achieve meaningful reductions in sugar intakes across the population”
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The organisation is calling for a 10-20% tax on sugary drinks which are the main single source of sugar for school-aged children. It also wants restrictions on marketing and promotions that target children directly, better labelling an overhaul of public facilities, and appropriate messages.

Meanwhile in an opinion piece in The Otago Daily Times, the newspaper questions the New Zealand Government’s childhood obesity plan, noting that “a sugar tax (is) clearly an unpalatable option” and “the Government must find other ways to pressure the (processed food and beverage) industry to make meaningful changes”.