Why taxing ‘junk food’ to tackle obesity isn’t as simple as it seems
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Why taxing ‘junk food’ to tackle obesity isn’t as simple as it seems
Duane Mellor, Aston University
Former prime minister Tony Blair has called for more taxes on junk food to tackle the UK’s obesity crisis. This includes extending sugar taxes beyond just soft drinks, as well as taxing food that is high in salt and fat. Blair also called for restrictions on advertising unhealthy food.
The former PM believes this is the only way to save the NHS. “We’ve got to shift from a service that’s treating people when they’re ill to a service that is focused on wellbeing, on prevention, on how people live more healthy lives,” he told The Times Health Commission.
But is it as simple as that? A levy on sugary drinks was introduced in the UK in 2018 which led to drinks makers reformulating their products so they contained less sugar. A year later, the British public was consuming less sugar. However, sugar consumption had been falling in Britain before the levy was introduced. Once this was factore...
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