Britain to introduce sugar tax on fizzy drinks
Print16 March 2016
Britain intends to apply a tax on excessive sugar levels in soft drinks, the UK’s Finance Minister George Osborne, revealed today while outlining details of the latest budget.
Aiming to lower childhood obesity levels, Osborne said the tax would start in two years’ time. The new measure would apply to drinks with more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres.
Osborne added that the tax would have two bands – drinks with more than five and eight grams of per 100 millilitres, and would stand to raise an estimated £520 million a year (€661 million). This money would be used to fund schools’ sports activities. Osborne added that the delay in implementation would “give companies plenty of time to change their product mix”.
In recent years, Ireland’s Minister for Health Leo Varadkar and previously James Reilly, have both suggested the introduction of a 20% tax on sugar-sweetened drinks.
The Journal.ie reports that in June 2014, a poll conducted by IPSOS/MRBI on behalf of the Irish Heart Foundation found that 52% of the public were in favour of the tax, compared to 46% against. Significantly, 87% of the population believed that sugar sweetened drinks contribute to obesity among children and young people.
Fans 0
Followers