Sugar consumption down one year after tax applied

The sugar tax imposed on soft drinks in Britain led to a significant drop in sugar in people’s diets, according to a longterm study.

- JANE KIRBY

One year after the sugar tax came into force, children were consuming 4.8g per day less sugar, while adults had an intake that was 10.9g lower.

Most of this drop was down to less sugar from soft drinks – slashing 3g off children’s daily sugar consumption and 5g off that of adults.

However, people are still eating too much sugar overall, researchers found, and are not meeting UK or World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

The type of sugars most adults and children in the UK eat too much of are known as “free sugars”.