Calls for 20% Sugar Tax on All Confectionary and Ban on Promotions

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Calls have been made for a ban on price promotions and discounts as well as a 20% sugar tax an all sweets, chocolate and confectionery, to reduce the amount of sugar we consume amid reports that some chocolate sharing bags contain as much as four times the recommended daily intake of sugar for adults.

Even taking into account that sharing packs claim to be more than one portion, each portion still contains nearly a day’s recommended sugar intake for children.

According to Kawther Hashem, a researcher for Action for Sugar, the types of price promotions that are offered encourage people to overeat and consume too much sugar, and that sugar companies and supermarkets are in a constant state of finding ways to push their sugary products. They also claimed it is time for intervention to step in and no longer allow companies to profit at the expense of the nation’s health.

After soft drinks, confectionery is the second biggest source of sugar intake in children, aided by a number of promotions by major supermarkets that reduce the price of sharing bags, usually making them better value than smaller sized sweets.

The government launched its action plan to tackle obesity in 2016, which included the soft drink levy, a plan to reduce sugar by 20% across the board, and claimed to be the start of the conversation. It remains to be seen if a confections tax would be part of this, and how much effect either this or the soft drink tax will have.

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