Prof MacGregor said there was evidence from Finland and Mexico that a sugar tax worked. He told MPs: "I don't think we need any more evidence. We should put a sugar tax in straight away, particularly on soft drinks…We know that taxes work on alcohol and cigarette consumption, and they will work on sweetened soft drinks."
"The way some sportsmen - a prominent footballer and some crisps, or even Subway and a Brazilian footballer - the way they sponsor unhealthy foods, we need to look at that," said Dr Darragh on why rules need to be tightened on advertising of unhealthy food and drinks. He claims this is necessary not only for TV but also internet sites, within online games played by children, and in sponsorship of school activities and sports.
And Malcolm added that a ban on TV ads for unhealthy products during children's programming should also cover family shows like X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. "With shows like X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, children can be seeing up to six less healthy food adverts per hour," he told the committee. "It's about closing that loophole and saying nine o'clock should be the watershed.”
Children's Food Campaign: Campaigning for policy changes so that all children can easily eat sustainable and healthy food.
