The Sugar Tax — Will it Actually Work?

The Sugar Tax; the UK government just introduced a levy on sugary soft drinks, forcing manufacturers and customers to shell out more for some of their favourite beverages, but is this the right approach in tackling obesity?

As you are most likely aware, the UK government, after much pressure from celebrities and health groups, have just introduced a new levy. This tax is being referred to as “the sugar tax” but really only applies to certain soft drinks with relatively high sugar content, such as Ribena and Coca Cola.

We have been hearing about the introduction of this new tariff for a year or so now, with Jamie Oliver being the most notable figure leading the cause in favour of it. Some manufacturers have already responded by re-formulating their new or existing products to match the demand for this low-sugar era. In this article, I want to really examine what all this stuff means, who it is going to affect, and what outcome it might actually have.

What is it for?

The so-called sugar tax has mostly been introduced with the aim of reducing the prevalence and extremity of obesity in the UK, among both adults and children. The general idea is that by increasing the price of these drinks for customers, they will purchase fewer drinks. Subsequently, the pressure on manufacturers to create…