The tax started in April 2018 and has successfully improved people’s diets. Experts now suggest expanding it to cover other high-sugar foods and drinks.
The research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, looked at data from 7,999 adults and 7,656 children between 2008 and 2019. It showed that children’s daily sugar intake fell by about 4.8g and adults’ by 10.9g in the year after the tax began.
Before the study, children consumed about 70g of free sugars daily, which dropped to about 45g by the end. Adults initially consumed around 60g of free sugars per day, which decreased to about 45g.
Despite these improvements, sugar consumption remains above recommended levels, contributing to tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, and other illnesses.
The study noted that free sugars from all soft drinks decreased by about half in children and a third in adults since the tax announcement in 2016. This reduction suggests that overall sugar consumption, not just from soft drinks, has been declining since 2008.
Experts like Eddie Crouch from the British Dental Association praised the tax for delivering effective results. They recommend extending it to cereals and other sugary foods to further improve public health.
According to health guidelines, daily free sugar intake should be below 5% of total calorie intake. Governments are urged to consider similar taxes on other high-sugar products to promote healthier diets.
The UK government plans to restrict junk food advertising and ban sugary, high-caffeine energy drinks for children to combat obesity and improve public health.