Soft drinks industry refusing to pick up the tab

Responding to the last-ditch lobbying attempts by the food and soft drinks industry to forestall the Government from going ahead with its planned soft drinks industry levy, Malcolm Clark, Co-ordinator of the Children's Food Campaign, said:

“The Children’s Food Campaign urges the Chancellor of the Exchequer to confirm implementation of a sugary drinks tax. This is a simple first step towards turning the tide on children’s junk-food diets. Research predicts that a UK sugary drinks tax would result in £300 million direct savings to the NHS, and significant increased quality of life, and  thus economic productivity, for hundreds of thousands of people. Contrary to industry protestations, our own research shows there would be no significant reduction in total employment in soft drinks manufacturing, with new jobs being created in making other products – a finding supported by peer-reviewed academic evidence.”

“It looks as if parts of the food and soft drink industry are trying to deal a body-blow to Team GB’s future Olympic success. They are pedalling furiously to block millions being invested in school sports, and to thwart efforts to stimulate recipe changes to make their hugely sugary products more healthy. It takes medal-winning gymnastic skills for these companies and trade bodies to pretend they are taking the high ground whilst putting short-term profit ahead of children's health and fitness. This Government should not row back from its commitment to introduce a sugary drinks levy and a robust strategy to tackle childhood obesity.”