LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The UK government has announced an extension of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to more high-sugar drinks, including milk-based drinks, making it easier for families to buy less sugary products.
Changes will apply the charge to pre-packaged milk-based and milk-alternative drinks with added sugar like supermarket milkshakes, flavored milks, sweetened yoghurt drinks, chocolate milk drinks and ready-to-drink coffees.
Many of these products can contain as much added sugar as fizzy drinks, where much of that sugar is added separately to the milk, but were previously exempt from the levy, which so far has seen the average sugar content of drinks in scope fall almost 50% since it was introduced. Plain, unsweetened milk and milk-alternative drinks are not and will not be included.
Changes could cut 17 million calories a day from the nation's daily intake, helping to prevent cancer, heart disease and stroke, and take pressure off the NHS, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Companies have until January 2028 to remove sugar or face the new charge, which will add 1 billion pounds in health and economic benefits.
Obesity is one of the root causes of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. With the UK now having the third highest rate of adult obesity in Europe, it remains a critical public health challenge, costing the NHS 11.4 billion pounds a year.
The threshold is being lowered from 5g to 4.5g of sugar per 100ml. This means more high-sugar drinks will fall under the levy unless manufacturers reduce sugar, with businesses given until 2028 January to reduce sugar in their drinks.
This is a levy on manufacturers and importers, which has led to companies acting by halving sugar content in popular drinks to avoid the tax. The government expects companies to do the same with the extension.
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