25th April

Today Parliament approved the Soft Drinks Industry Levy as part of the Finance Bill. This is a significant move forward for public health.

Graham MacGregor, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Queen Mary University of London and Chairman of Action on Sugar, says: "We are delighted to hear today’s news that Parliament has approved the sugar  levy, despite fears last week that it may be shelved until after the general election. We now have the guarantee that the levy will be in place before the next government is formed. 

"This coincides with news that Coca-Cola could face a £200m sugar tax from their Classic product alone if it doesn't step up efforts to significantly reduce sugar content. This tax must act as a key deterrent to ensure all drink manufacturers reformulate with immediate effect."

The Obesity Health Alliance, a coalition of over 30 organisations, says: “This is a landmark day for children’s health. Reducing our children’s sugar intake is a vital step to tackling devastating high levels of obesity, and can’t happen soon enough.

“There is evidence from other countries that show similar measures have helped to reduce the amount of sugary soft drinks consumed and we look forward to seeing comparable results here.

“We applaud Parliament for showing their commitment to reducing children’s sugar consumption and encourage all parties ahead of the general election to commit to tackling childhood obesity and upholding the implementation and robust evaluation of the levy.”