A tiered sugar tax - one that incentivises brands to reduce sugar content - would be the most effective way of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages in Germany, according to a new study published this week.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out imposing a tax on HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) foods, but promises to ban the advertising of ‘harmful’ junk food and sugary snacks to children if his party is elected to power.
How are attitudes changing towards tackling obesity? And could new technological developments help mitigate the epidemic? Oxford biologist Sir Charles Godfray, the keynote speaker at this year’s City Food and Drink Lecture at the Guildhall, London, weighs...
Additional strategies beyond a soft drinks levy will be needed to reduce obesity, particularly in older boys and younger children, according to new Cambridge University research that some have called ‘speculative’.
Redirecting existing sugar cropland to ethanol production can yield significant greenhouse gas emission savings, according to fresh research out of Barcelona.
With just 19% of countries in the WHO European Region having introduced SSB taxes, a new study has sought to identify what works and what doesn’t – to encourage effective implementation.
The UK’s Soft Drinks Industry Levy is responsible for a reduction in intake of nearly 6,500 calories from soft drinks per annum per UK resident, according to a new study. And the authors say much of the reduction came from manufacturers’ reformulation...
Fresh research suggests high consumption of sugar sweetened beverages is associated with a higher risk of early-onset colon colorectal cancer in women.
South Africa has seen large reductions in purchases of sugary beverage volumes since the country’s sugar tax was announced in 2016, according to a new study published this month.
Senators are proposing to tax foods with ‘poor nutritional’ quality amid concerns consumers are eating ‘too many calories and too much meat’ in a bid to force the food industry to design ‘less sweet, salty and fatty dishes’.
German popular opinion has come down in ‘clear support’ of government measures to tackle diet related diseases, including the introduction of taxes and other fiscal strategies to promote healthy eating.
An Oxford University study has found the total amount of sugar sold in soft drinks in the UK dropped by 29% between 2015-2018. “Sustained pressure on business, including fiscal measures, has led to a striking reduction,” say the researchers.
By Rachel Arthur, Elaine Watson, Niamh Michail, Gary Scattergood, Flora Southey
Sugar taxes continue to hit the headlines, so we take a spin around the globe to look at some of the markets where taxes have been introduced or are under debate.
With trendy plant-based alternatives such as soy milk or almond milk, consumers often find a health halo around indulgent coffee shop drinks. But festive favourites such as hot chocolate and sweetly-spiced lattes contain ‘huge’ amounts of sugar, says...
Public Health England’s latest progress report on the food and drink industry’s sugar cutting efforts reveal significant changes in areas where the sugar tax applies, but a disappointing lack of progress with the voluntary sugar reduction programme.
Taxing high sugar snacks – such as sweets, cakes and biscuits – may be more effective at reducing obesity than taxing sugary drinks, according to a new study published in the BMJ.
Latest data from the United Nations reveal obesity and overweight rates are ‘increasing in all regions’. Could ‘healthy food’ subsidies and taxes on products high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar, curb the trend?
UK sugar tax has removed 45,000 tonnes of sugar from shelves, says government
The UK government is considering extending its sugar tax to milk drinks: with the announcement made just before the confirmation of Boris Johnson – who has pledged a review of ‘nanny state sin taxes’ – as the country's next Prime Minister.
By Jack Winkler, Emeritus Professor of Nutrition Policy, London Metropolitan University; and Tam Fry, chair, National Obesity Forum
A historic change in the sales of carbonated soft drinks has taken place since the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) came into force a year ago -- with sugarfree drinks rising, and full sugar products falling.
A new study has found no direct link between the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and elevated BMI in children, prompting authors to question the effectiveness of the UK’s single-nutrient tax approach.
The nationwide strategy, which aims to reduce sugar, fats, and salt content in finished food products to promote healthy eating and reduce obesity levels, has received criticism for its voluntary approach.
By Rachel Arthur, Elaine Watson, Stephen Daniells, Gary Scattergood, Niamh Michail
Sugar taxes continue to hit the headlines, but the introduction of new legislation is never straight-forward. We take a look at 20 countries around the globe where sugar taxes have been in the news.
Fiscal incentives like a sugar tax and lower-sugar subsidies to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption are unlikely to be effective, a new Singapore study reveals.
Coca-Cola Classic saw volumes in Europe decline by 1% over the last three months: attributed mainly to the impact of new soft drinks industry taxes. But Coca-Cola Zero Sugar grew 18.5%, with retailers increasingly shifting space over to the sugar-free...
The first four months of the UK’s sugar tax has failed to create any significant change in consumer behaviour; but it has encouraged widespread reformulation and the proliferation of lower sugar options, according to Nielsen.
UK soft drink business Britvic says it is confident of achieving market expectations for the full year, despite facing challenges from sugar taxes and the CO2 shortage.
In the UK, 326 businesses have registered for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, according to data from HMRC and obtained by chartered accountants UHY Hacker Young.
The UK public is more receptive to interventions such as sugar taxes and minimum unit pricing than often supposed, according to a report compiled by a group of independent UK health associations.
The UK Government should introduce tougher restrictions on marketing and advertising of junk food, according to a committee behind a report into childhood obesity.
Juice and milk-based drinks are currently exempt from the UK’s sugar tax: but Public Health England has set out targets for sugar reduction in these categories – and says that progress will be taken into account when it reviews the milk-based drinks exemption...
Inaction is not an option for confectionery brands if they want to survive in an age of increased regulation on sugared products, writes Neil Davidson, managing director of brand agency HeyHuman.
The Irish government confirmed it plans to push ahead with the introduction of a sugar tax this April, despite industry calls for the move to be delayed.
The food industry should not be pilloried for making food safe, affordable and enjoyable, according to the chairman of food consultancy Zenith International.
Industry group, the Food and Drink Federation, has called for the UK's sugar tax to be put on hold due to the economic fragility of the post-Brexit environment - but campaigners have slammed it as opportunistic.
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has refused to rule out a sugar tax, as celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has vowed to “get more ninja” in his bid to tackle the UK’s obesity epidemic.
Product reformulation, an advertising ban and restrictions on promotions are expected to be the main focus of the government’s childhood obesity strategy.
"No single action will be effective in reducing sugar intakes," concludes Public Health England's report which recommends cutting price promotions, junk food advertising and setting a sugar tax. We look at some reactions to the findings.
UK city Brighton is urging food businesses to levy a 10p voluntary sugar tax on sugary drinks in a bid to address “the devastating harm caused by sugar addiction”.
Experts from both sides of the sugar tax debate have set out their arguments in a ‘head to head’ article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Where do you stand on the sugar tax issue?
Danish excise duties on confectionery, ice cream and soft drinks have been raised in 2013, making it "very difficult" to be a Danish food and drink company, according to leading domestic confectioner Toms.
