Opening the sugary drinks tax debate in Scotland
Scottish doctors have called for a tax on sugary drinks to tackle Scotland’s spiralling obesity crisis, at today's Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh special conference on obesity.
At the event, doctors supported the policy call for a tax on sugary drinks. Professor Simon Capewell addressed the conference on how the recent implementation of a 10 per cent tax in Mexico saw a corresponding 10 per cent reduction in consumption. RCPE president Professor Derek Bell said there is no simple solution to the causes and treatment of obesity, but food and drink taxes are an important part of the discussion.
Malcolm Clark, convenor of the Children's Health Fund campaign, which is calling for a 20p per litre a sugary drinks duty, laid out this challenge to Scotland's politicians:
“The SNP is very strong on promoting the Scottish food and drink industry. One Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) has even cited protecting the interests of AG Barr, and other sponsors of Glasgow 2014, as their reason for not supporting a sugary drinks tax. But the Commonwealth Games is a memory, and we are in a new political era. Will the SNP now rise to the obesity and sugar reduction challenge outlined by Professor Simon Capewell? A first test could be whether they will ask for the powers to introduce a sugary drinks tax or other similar fiscal measures, as part of the new devolution settlement."
Further comment in the Scotsman.
Published Friday 5 June 2015
Sugary Drinks Duty: Support the campaign for a sugary drinks duty, to pay for programmes to improve childrens health and protect the environment they grow up in.
