Sugar tax will ‘hit poorest hardest’
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The planned sugar tax will “hit poorest families hardest” and has nothing to do with the sugar content of products, the Taxpayers’ Alliance says.
The group, which wants the levy to be axed, tested 49 drinks and found that some coffee shop drinks had more sugar than Coca Cola, but would not be taxed.
Anti-obesity campaigners welcomed the tax when it was announced in March.
The Treasury said soft drinks will be taxed because they are the main source of added sugar in children’s diets.
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The Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA) survey found that Coca-Cola, with 10.6g of sugar per 100ml, will be subject to the levy, but a Starbucks signature hot chocolate with whipped cream with coconut milk, which has 11g of sugar per 100ml, will not.
The study also noted energy drinks such as Monster Origin, 11g/100ml, will be taxed, but Tesco chocolate flavoured milk, 12.4g/100ml, will not be.
‘Regressive tax’
Overall, the 10 most sugary drinks the group – which campaigns for lower taxes – analysed will not be subject to the levy.
The recommended maximum intake of added sugar per day for those aged 11 and over is about 30g or seven teaspoons, the NHS says.
TPA chief executive Jonathan Isaby said it was “deeply concerning” that the government was “pushing ahead with this regressive tax which will hit the poorest families hardest”.
“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,” he said.
The survey’s 10 most sugary drinks
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- Costa, chai latte, skimmed milk (17.5g/100ml)
- Caffe Nero, hot chocolate, no cream, regular (17g)
- Galaxy flavoured milk (14.4g)
- Starbucks, white chocolate mocha with whipped cream, short, skimmed milk (13.3g)
- Tesco chocolate fudge brownie flavoured milk (13.1g)
- Frijj chocolate fudge brownie milkshake (12.9g)
- Mars flavoured milk (12.8g)
- Tesco chocolate flavoured milk (12.4g)
- Caffe Nero, frappe creme, strawberry and vanilla (12.2g)
- Galaxy thick shake (11.6g)
A Treasury spokesman said the soft drinks industry levy was “a major step forward in our efforts to tackle childhood obesity”.
“Treating obesity and its consequences costs the taxpayer £5.1bn every year,” he said.
“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.”
He said the money from the tax will go towards funding more school sport and expanding school breakfast clubs.