Groceries
British Ministry wants to tax sugared milkshakes
Obesity in society is a huge problem, says the British Ministry of Finance. A sugar tax on soft drinks could therefore be extended to creamy alternatives.
In the fight against overweight, sweet, packaged milkshakes could soon be taxed in Great Britain. A sugar tax already applies to soft drinks with a certain sugar content. The Ministry of Finance in London is now proposing to expand the levy.
“Our country faces the huge challenge of constant numbers of obesity and obesity,” says a paper of the ministry. Almost two thirds of the adults and a third of the children are affected. The health system costs this billion.
The Ministry therefore suggests that from a certain sugar content, packaged drinks should also be taxed based on milk or plant alternatives such as oat drinks. So far, these have been except for concern for the calcium intake.
Goal: Manufacturer should reduce sugar content
In the UK, a “sugar tax” has been raised on drinks for seven years. The “Soft Drinks Industry Levy” has been in force since 2018. Many manufacturers have adapted their recipes since the announcement of the plans, the ministry writes. The tax does not even fall to 89 percent of soft drinks that would be sold in the country.
The levy shows what can be achieved if you fight the causes of excessive sugar consumption. The ministry said that the industry had reduced the sugar in drinks by about half (46 percent). It suggests lowering the threshold from which the tax applies – from 5 to 4 grams per 100 milliliters. The plans should now be discussed.
dpa
Source: Stern
