04/09/2018

Will UK sugar tax take fizz out of drinks industry?

Britain's sugar tax on soft drinks came into effect last week, a move that will lead to some higher prices as the country seeks to battle childhood obesity. “Our teenagers consume nearly a bathtub of sugary drinks each year on average,” said Britain’s public health minister The tax, announced in March 2016, has already cut sugar content in drinks by 45 million kilograms per year, Britain’s Treasury said, as over 50 percent of manufacturers have reformulated their products to be below the levy’s sugar threshold.

■Class discussion: How may sugary soft drinks do you consume every week? Would you consume as much if it cost more? Do you think soft drink manufacturers could cut the amount of sugar and still produce drinks you would want to buy? With about 40 percent of American adults being obese, do we need to do more to change our eating habits? What has happened U.S. government programs to battle obesity? Have they been expanded or cut under President Donald Trump?