UK Sugar Tax

Sugar-sweetened drinks will be taxed starting from April 2018.

20:42 06 December 2016

The UK government has moved forward with its planned sugar tax on Monday, publishing draft legislation confirming a two-band levy for sugar-sweetened drinks.  

 

The sugar tax will take effect in April 2018, giving companies, such as Pepsi, Irn-Bru, and Coca-Cola enough time to reduce the amount of sugar in their drinks. Pure juices as well as sugary milkshake and yogurt drinks will be excluded. 

 

The initiative, which is expected to raise £520m in the first year, has been welcomed by health campaigners. 

 

Dr Max Davie, of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: "We are very pleased to see government moving forward with this draft legislation.

 

"The sugary drinks that will be affected by this tax have no nutritional benefit and often contain levels of sugar that are above a child's daily recommended limit.

"These drinks are a major contributor to the high sugar intakes of children, particularly teenagers, and we are in no doubt that they are, in part, contributing to this country's obesity crisis."

 

However, the soft drink industry felt that it is singled out. 

 

Gavin Partington, of the British Soft Drinks Association, said: "There is no evidence worldwide that taxes of this sort reduce obesity, and it is ironic that soft drinks are being singled out for tax when we've led the way in reducing sugar intake, down over 17% since 2012.

 

"We're also the only category to have set a 20% calorie reduction target for 2020."