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The "ground-breaking" sugar tax on soft drinks has come into force in the UK.
From Friday manufacturers have to pay a levy on the high-sugar drinks they sell.
Ministers and campaigners believe it has already proved to be a success with many firms reducing sugar content ahead of the change. But others say it is still too early to judge the impact.
Leading brands such as Fanta, Ribena and Lucozade have cut the sugar content of drinks, but Coca-Cola has not.
The introduction of the levy means the UK joins a small handful of nations, including Mexico, France and Norway, which have introduced similar taxes.
How will it work?
The levy is being applied to manufacturers - whether they pass it on to consumers or not is up to them.
Drinks with more than 8g per 100ml will face a tax rate equivalent to 24p per litre.
Those containing 5-8g of sugar per 100ml will face a slightly lower rate of tax, of 18p per litre.
Pure fruit juices will be exempt as they do not carry added sugar, while drinks with a high milk content will also be exempt due to their calcium content.
Originally, the Treasury forecast it would raise more than £500m a year, but that has now been reduced to £240m because some manufacturers have reduced the sugar content in their products.
In England that income is being invested in schools sports and breakfast clubs.
Products such as cakes, biscuits and other foods are not covered by the tax, although a separate initiative is encouraging manufacturers to reduce the sugar content of those items voluntarily.
'Too much stick, not enough carrot'
But will it work? The jury is still out.
University of Bedfordshire nutrition expert Dr Daniel Bailey said that while the levy is a "positive step" in tackling obesity and had led to a "notable" reaction by the industry, the response by consumers is uncertain.
"The increase in tax placed on soft drinks will make products more expensive, but will this actually discourage people from buying them?
"We could just end up with consumers buying the same amount but paying more."
Polling suggests this may be the case for many people.
Research by Mintel found just under half of Britons say taxing unhealthy products would encourage them to cut back.
By comparison easier-to-understand nutritional information would alter the purchasing habits of three-quarters of people, the survey of 2,000 people showed.
Mintel's associate director of food and drink Emma Clifford said it suggested "carrot" rather than "stick" may be a better approach.
How have consumers reacted?
Reaction to the new tax has been mixed with many consumers arguing that government should not interfere in what they consider to be a personal choice.
Twitter user @IAmNeesha wrote: "The #sugartax is a total joke. Can people really not just say no? If I fancy a Coke after work or after the gym, why am I being taxed for it?"
Skip Twitter post by @a_leesha1 Having a “sugar tax” on sugary drinks isn’t going to stop obesity. How about making healthy food cheaper and making them more available for people who are on lower incomes? Putting tax on everything isn’t helpful while the healthier food is much more expensive. — aleesha (@a_leesha1) April 5, 2018 Report
@sammyyjadee tweeted: "If you educate people that sugary drinks should only be drunk in moderation, and should not be part of a child's diet, all would be fine! #nannystate."
However, not everyone views the tax with pessimism.
Skip Twitter post by @Jordzjake I’m right behind the new #sugartax 👍 if it stops as many people buying unhealthy drinks etc and putting that waste back out into the world then I’ll support it. I just hope it has a decent affect. 🙌 — Jordan Whittingham (@Jordzjake) April 6, 2018 Report
Among the readers' comments on this story, TheJags wrote: "I'm generally against the government interfering in our lives, but the simple fact of the matter is that the NHS is struggling under the weight of unhealthy people in this country, and either we all pay for it or they do."
Twitter user @GregoryJSpeakman added: "Fully support the #sugartax. If we're to tackle obesity in this country then we need to take it seriously.
"We've tried education and ad campaigns, this is the next logical step."
Teens consume huge amounts of sugar drinks
All age groups are consuming too much sugar, with teenagers the worst offenders.
They get a quarter of their sugar intake from soft drinks.
Public Health Minister Steve Brine said: "Our teenagers consume nearly a bathtub of sugary drinks each year on average, fuelling a worrying obesity trend.
"The levy is a ground-breaking policy that will help to reduce sugar intake."
Public Health England also hopes it will improve the oral health of children.
To coincide with the introduction of the levy, the agency released figures showing a child in England has a tooth removed in hospital every 10 minutes due to preventable decay.
PHE's Dr Sandra White said: "It's upsetting to see so many children admitted to hospital with tooth decay."
She is urging families to skip soft drinks altogether and to consume water and lower-fat milks.
How has industry reacted?
Estimates by the Treasury based on market data suggest 50% of manufacturers have reduced the sugar content of their drinks.
Fanta has cut it by nearly a third, Ribena and Irn-Bru by half and Lucozade by nearly two-thirds.
Tesco has said none of its own-brand drinks will fall foul of the levy, although the process of reformulation started before the sugar tax was announced.
Head of soft drinks Phil Banks, believes about 85% of products purchased at the company's stores will be below the levy threshold.
"At Tesco, things won't be so very different," he said.
But he conceded customers could see some of the branded drinks becoming more expensive or being served in smaller containers.
Earlier this year Coca-Cola announced it will cut the size of its 1.75l bottle to 1.5l and put up the price by 20p.
The company said it had decided not to change its classic recipe because "people love the taste and have told us not to change".
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and Diet Coke are not affected by the levy.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Sugar tax: Drinks becoming pricier and in smaller bottles
Reality Check: Did the sugar tax work in Mexico?
Mexico introduced a tax on sugary drinks on 1 January 2014, which operates in a similar way to the UK's.
By the end of its first full year, Mexicans were consuming 12% fewer sugary beverages than in the year leading up to the tax's introduction.
The biggest reductions were among the poorest households.
Researchers also looked at what happened to other drinks and found there was an increase in sales of drinks that did not come under the tax. This was mainly driven by a rise in popularity of bottled water.
There is no evidence yet that this has led to a reduction in obesity - but it may well still be too soon to tell what the longer-term effects will be on the population's weight.
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A tax on sugary soft drinks has come into force, meaning consumers will have to pay more for their favourite refreshments.
But it will not apply to all soft drinks.
The tax will see drinks containing 5g of sugar per 100ml taxed at 18p per litre, and those with more than 8g per 100ml taxed at 24p per litre.
Some manufacturers have reduced the amount of sugar in their drinks, helping them avoid the charges.
Here are the popular drinks that have had their amount of sugar reduced in the last year. Flip to see how much sugar has been cut.
Here are the price changes in the drinks that have not changed their sugar content.
:: Coca-Cola
Image: There are 33g of sugar in a can of Coke
The price of a 330ml can has gone up by 8p. There are 35g of sugar in a can of Coke - the equivalent of seven teaspoons.
Buying a 500ml bottle will now cost an extra 12p, while a two-litre bottle will set you back an extra 48p.
A spokesperson said: "Coca-Cola Classic is one of the few brands that will be subject to the new tax as we have decided not to change the recipe.
"Consumers tell us not to change it and we believe they should be able to choose a Coca-Cola Classic if that's the drink they want."
:: Pepsi
Image: There are 36g of sugar in one can
The price of a 330ml can has gone up 8p. There are 36g of sugar in one can - that is just over seven teaspoons.
The sugar tax will add 12p to the price of a 500ml bottle, and 48p to the price of a two-litre bottle.
:: Red Bull
Image: A can of Red Bull is up 6p
One 250ml Red Bull energy drink contains 27g of sugar. That is five-and-a-half teaspoons.
A can of Red Bull will now cost you 6p more.
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The move, which is one of the Conservatives’ anti-obesity measures, is aiming to balance out the impact of obesity on the NHS. (Picture: Getty/ Metro.co.uk)
The sugar tax has come into force today and you’re probably wondering what drinks are going to be affected.
Well, it’s a lot of them – sorry.
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In fact, anything with more than 5g of sugar per 100ml is automatically going to cost more.
And if it has more than 8g of sugar per 100ml… well, it goes up again.
You won’t have to pay anything extra if your sugary drink of choice contains at least 75% milk though, so it’s not all bad.
The worst offenders, which include Ribena, Dr Pepper and Coca-Cola, all have more than 8g of sugar per 100ml. (Picture: Getty)
The amount each brand goes up by in cost will depend on the added sugar content of the beverage.
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The worst offenders, which include Ribena, Dr Pepper and Coca-Cola, all have more than 8g of sugar per 100ml.
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This means that as of today, they will cost 24p a litre more.
Other brands with 8g of sugar or more include Red Bull and Pepsi.
Sprite, 7Up and Fanta all have around six to seven grams of sugar per 100ml, so they will also increase in price – but by 18p a litre.
The worst offenders The following popular drinks all have more than 8g of sugar per 100ml. – Fever-Tree Indian tonic water: 8g – San Pellegrino lemon: 8.9g – Vimto: 9.1g – Ribena: 9.9g – Appletiser: 10.5g – Pepsi: 10.6g – Coca-Cola: 10.6g – Red Bull: 11g – Coca-Cola Cherry: 11.2g – Rockstar: 15.6g – Old Jamaican ginger beer: 15.2g
The amount each brand goes up by in cost will depend on the added sugar content of the beverage. (Picture: REX)
As well as costs rocketing in stores, prices will also rise in pubs and restaurants.
The move, which is one of the Conservatives’ anti-obesity measures, is aiming to balance out the impact of obesity on the NHS.
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The so-called ‘sin taxes’ – which have also been rolled in on alcohol and tobacco – could be a powerful tool for combating rising rates of chronic disease worldwide, researchers have claimed.
A global study found taxes on soft drinks, snacks, alcohol and tobacco are more likely to change the lifestyle behaviour of vulnerable poorer consumers.
At the same time, most of the tax revenues would come from higher income households.
Mark Jones, partner and food and drink industry expert at Gordons law firm, said: ‘Introducing the sugar tax on fizzy drinks is the Government’s latest attempt to tackle the obesity crisis but whilst it has had some effect on the drinks market by encouraging manufacturers to develop lower sugar products, this levy in isolation is unlikely to have any significant effect on our health.
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‘Over 50% of Europe’s population is overweight or obese and almost 30% of children aged 2-15 in the UK are overweight or obese today.
‘People are becoming obese earlier in life and staying obese in later life.
‘In fact, the UK now spends more on obesity/diabetes treatment than it does on the judicial system, the fire service and police combined.
‘Although the sugar tax is clearly a step in the right direction, there is little evidence to demonstrate it actually tackles the problem of calorie intake/calorie balance.
‘If the UK is to really take steps to tackle obesity, we need regulation and taxes on high calorie and high sugar food products too.
‘And with the poor health of our nation costing the public purse so much, I would expect to see that in the coming years unless there are big changes from food manufacturers.’
The sugar tax, which will come into effect in the UK today, April 6, will increase the price of soft drinks containing substantial amounts of sugar. The money raised from the tax, which will affect drinks such as classic Coca Cola and Fanta, will then go to the Treasury. How much more will your soft drinks cost? It is believed manufacturers of soft drinks which contain more than five grams of sugar per 100ml will have to pay 18p per litre to the Treasury. This will rise to 24p a litre if drinks contain over eight grams of sugar. While it is unclear how this will affect supermarket prices, Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin said soft drinks prices at the pub chain will cost around 10p more than before.
The sugar tax will increase the price of sugary soft drinks at supermarkets and restaurant chains
Prices may still rise at some supermarket chains, as The Co-op have confirmed. A Co-op spokeswoman told ITV: "The levy is designed to be passed onto customers and drive a change in consumer behaviour so, for branded soft drinks that do qualify, we will pass on the cost of the levy and the VAT." However, a great many of the sugary soft drinks purchased from supermarkets have already changed their formulations in order to avoid the tax. More than 50 per cent of manufacturers have changed their recipes in order to cut down the sugar, according to Treasury figures.
Getty Sugar tax: It will bump up the price of many soft drinks
Fruits with HIGH sugar levels Mon, July 6, 2015 Here is a list of fruit which has a high sugar content Play slideshow GETTY 1 of 8 Cherries have high sugar levels in comparison to other berries
Getty Sugar tax: Not all sugar containing drinks will be affected
A number of supermarket chains, including Tesco, Morrissons, Asda and The Co-op, have reformulated their drinks already. The government has established the tax in order to put customers off buying sugary drinks, in a bid to tackle the obesity crisis. So will it work? Half of Britons said they would cut down on unhealthy foods and drinks if they were more expensive, according to a study from Mintel. However, one in five said that paying extra for soft drinks will not put them off, according to results of a survey conducted by YouGov and Simplyhealth. The British Fruit Juice Association have also made a statement to clear up any confusion about the rising price of fruit juices. It reads: “Pure fruit juice is not part of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, commonly known as the sugar tax, which comes into effect on Friday 6th April.
Getty Sugar tax: Your shopping basket will most likely cost more
