Co-author of WHO analysis report on UK sugar tax urges its extension

The co-author of an analysis report into the effectiveness of a UK sugar tax on soft drinks has cited that initiative’s success as a reason to extend it to cover food as well.

The Guardian has reported that Dr Kawther Hashem, a co-author and lecturer in public health nutrition at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), citing a more than one third fall in soft drink consumption as proof that initiatives of this type work.

The 34.3% drop in soft drink consumption from 2015-2020 attributed to the levy has not been matched by a similar drop in sugary food intake with the sugar reduction program failing to have the same effect on food like cakes and biscuits. In fact, the sugar reduction program aimed squarely at sugary foods, which were meant to have dropped their sugar content by 20% by 2020, only achieved a 3.5% drop over the same period.

Given the prevalence of conditions like tooth decay, obesity and diabetes, experts including Dr Kawther Hashem, believe an extension of the levy would lead to a similar reduction in the consumption of sugary foods with the resultant accrual of health benefits.

"The analysis, quoted in The Guardian, says: "Given the proven success of the soft drinks industry levy at incentivising reformulation, we therefore recommend that policymakers consider applying a similar levy to other discretionary products that are key contributors to sugar intake."

Such measures do have an effect with research showing, for instance, that fewer children are being admitted to hospital for tooth decay.


Read the full The Guardian article