Britain adds tax to sugary drinks
(CNS): In a surprise move by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the British government has introduced a new levy on sugary drinks, which has been broadly welcomed outside the soft drinks sector and heralded as a step that many other countries may copy. George Osborne announced the measure in the budget on Wednesday in an attempt to tackle childhood obesity, as the UK now has some of the highest rates in the world.
The tax will come into effect in two years, in April 2018, when drinks with total sugar content above 5 grams per 100 millilitres will be hit by the new tax, which will be even higher on drinks with more than 8 grams. The top rate will affect some of the world’s most popular sodas, such as Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Dr Pepper.
The tax is predicted to raise some £530 million, which will be spent on primary school sports. Following the announcement, there were big falls in the share price of soft drinks makers but it was welcomed by many people who have been campaigning for the move for some time.
Some experts believe it will encourage other governments to adopt a similar type of tax or levy, as the western world wakes up to the massive damage over-consumption of sugar is causing to children and adults, as well as the health care tab for the consequences.
Cayman also has worryingly high levels of childhood obesity, and diabetes remains one of the leading causes of death here. However, the local government has never used the tax system to try and encourage healthier lifestyles.
A few years ago, the independent member for North Side, Ezzard Miller, queried why government was not using the duty rates on imported goods to address healthier eating, and pointed to numerous examples in Cayman’s system that had the opposite impact, such as olive oil attracting the top rate of duty for imported foods while lard was duty free. Miller believes there is room to raise more revenue and at the same time cut some duty rates to socially engineer a healthier Cayman.
CNS has submitted questions to the finance ministry regarding a review of duty and possible duty increases on sugary drinks here and other unhealthy food products.
Category: Health, Medical Health, UK, World News
Drink water!
We may be missing an important variable in all this. Coke, Pepsi and most of the name brand sodas make a special run of sodas for the European nations and Japan which actually contains sugar. For the U.S. — and Cayman as a by-product of that — most sodas are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, which has been demonstrated to be far more dangerous to general health than sugar.
I would be willing to pay more for sodas if we could get those that contain good old-fashioned sugar rather than HFCS. Those that choose to not research the ills caused by aspartame could continue to endanger themselves.
Just drink more beer.
Holy crap, better keep swanky on the downlow
Lard still duty free in the Cayman Islands?
Lard is healthy by the way. Saturated fats keep you healthy, despite of how it looks to you and what mainstream media says. They are 10 years behind.
I switched from regular Coke to Coke Zero a couple of years ago and dropped 14lbs in two months. There’s a very clear message there that these drinks are killers – worse than smoking.
Good for you, but that Diet stuff you’re drinking is also packed with extremely harmful artificial sweeteners.
really?…..where’s your source for this????
9.42 just google
Coke Zero, the Deadliest Beverage-Phosphoric Acid has been shown to destroy bones by contributing to osteoporosis and destroying teeth. Aspartame, now known as AminoSweet, has been linked to numerous diseases and health problems. In addition, there are food dyes and other chemical additives that are known carcinogens.
But apart from that it is fine, yes?
You know what’s also good for you and has Zero Calories?! – Water!!
Don’t celebrate that just yet… Read about the dangers of fake sugar… Far worse than a few pounds. Sorry to say…
Soda consumption is now in “freefall,” having dropped to its lowest point since 1995, according to Time Magazine, with diet sodas taking the greatest hit.
Ezzard commenting on healthy food?
Don’t stop at soda! All junk food should be taxed just as tobacco and alcohol are.
Ja wohl, mein fuhrer!
That is what the Nazis were known for, using taxation policy to nudge the public towards healthier food choices.
Dont raise anything, what amounts to a 22% sales tax is enough. Lower the duty on healthy stuff if you think telling people what to eat is the governments business.
Oh I agree, it shouldn’t be Governments business to tell people what they should eat, and it should not be anyone else’s business what someone eats, but the responsibility of health insurance coverage and cost should also only rest on the shoulder of that individual person who claims they want to eat whatever they want.
You can’t have it both ways!
I eat what I want and I pay my insurance. Raising the duty would have no health effect.
12:59. It is the governments business when you get sick and cannot afford to pay medical bills. Is that the mentality of some of us, most of us or all of us? It is more important being and asset, than a liability, but it is common practice for the liabilities to expect all for free.
CIG needs to increase import duties on sodas and sugary drinks. The amount of diabetic people in government that drink sodas on a daily basis is appalling. Not mention the tax payers pay for their health insurance. What a slap in the face.
This would mean we need a proactive health minister. How can you be proactive in the healthcare sector when you have no experience. What has the minister of health done since ozziegate fiasco?
He’s leading by example…he’s as fit as a cello.
@12:30 pm – Why should I be punished in the form of higher prices because persons with diabetes don’t care enough about their health to not drink sodas?
What happened to being responsible for your own health? If diabetics want to guzzle down soda like there’s no tomorrow, let them. I’m sure they aren’t ignorant to the dangers of sugar.
That’s the problem with this island, no one is ever held responsible for their own decisions.
You are absolutely correct, no one should punish you, but if you keep drinking and eating sugary stuff in time you will punish yourself. You will also become the diabetic that you are now commenting on. take responsibility for yourself as well.
Wrong.