Sugar tax to be enforced in April 2018 following parliamentary vote
Members of Parliament have voted in favour of enforcing a sugar tax, which will come into play in April 2018.
Parliament voted in favour of the levy as part of budget plans, which were up for debate before MPs take time away to campaign for the General Election in June. New taxes will mean that drinks that contain more than 8g of sugar per 100 ml will cost more.
The move has long been supported by health and dental professionals and campaign groups, and charities welcomed news from Westminster. Director of prevention at Cancer Research UK, Alison Cox, claimed that the new sugar tax will “improve the lives of children” across the country. Research suggests that a large proportion of children are consuming far more than the recommended daily intake of 5-6 teaspoons of sugar. A standard can of cola, for example, may contain up to 9 teaspoons.
The introduction of the sugar tax was also applauded by the chair of the British Dental Association, Mick Armstrong, who said that he was relieved that the Government has “stuck to its guns.” Tooth decay is currently the leading cause of hospital admissions among young children, despite the fact that the vast majority of cases are preventable. Chair of Action on Sugar and professor in cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary Hospital, University of London, Graham MacGregor, was also thrilled at the news.
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