This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Sugar tax to hit poorest, TPA warns
The Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA) has cautioned that the planned sugar tax will ‘hit poor families harder’, but has nothing to do with the sugar content of products.
The TPA highlighted that tests on coffee shop drinks have shown them to have more sugar than coca cola, despite not being liable to the tax. According to the Treasury, soft drinks would be taxed because they were the main source of added sugar in children’s diets.
However the TPA survey found that while Coca-Cola, which contains 10.6g of sugar per 100ml, will be subject to the levy, Starbucks’ signature hot chocolate, which contains 11g of sugar per 100ml, will not.
Currently the NHS has advised that the recommended maximum intake of added sugar per day for those aged 11 and over is around 30g.
Jonathan Isaby, TPA chief executive, explained: “The evidence shows that the sugar tax has nothing to do with the sugar content of products, so it is farcical to suggest that this will have any positive impact on people's diet or lifestyle choices.
"This is yet another example of irresponsible meddling from the high priests of the nanny state, introducing entirely unnecessary complications into an already complicated tax system and pushing up the cost of everyday products for hard-pressed families."
A Treasury spokesman said: “Treating obesity and its consequences costs the taxpayer £5.1 billion every year. The levy will be charged on soft drinks because they are the main source of added sugar in children's and teenagers' diets, many with no intrinsic nutritional value.
"Health experts agree there is a specific problem with sugar-laden fizzy drinks that must be addressed."
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