Cameron U-Turn on Sugar Tax Prompts Calls for More Action

Hornchurch, Essex, January 12, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed that he is not ruling out the introduction of a sugar tax on companies in order to tackle Britain's obesity crisis, prompting calls for more clarity and action.Asked at a press conference in Hungary on 7 January whether he was prepared to reverse his previous resistance to the policy, the Prime Minister said: "I don't really want to put new taxes onto anything but we do have to recognise that we face potentially in Britain something of an obesity crisis when we look at the effect of obesity on not just diabetes but the effect on heart disease, potentially on cancer."

Mr. Cameron was speaking to journalists after it was reported that a tax on sugary drinks was being considered. It was not made clear how and where the tax would be applied.

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Sources from the Department of Health and Downing Street have since issued statements, prompting the British Dental Association (BDA) to call for clarity after government sources denied claims that the Government was considering a sugar tax.

Discussions about a sugar levy were brought into the foreground after a study by Public Health England (PHE) released a controversial report calling for a tax of up to 20 percent on sugary drinks and foods.

Ministers released the report on 22 October, 2015, after it was due to be published in July, following pressure to make it public.

The report says that the NHS could save £15bn as well as almost 80,000 lives in a generation if it takes measures to wean the public off an addiction to sugar.

Cancer Research UK joined the long list of organisations including the BDA and the British Medical Association in calling for action against junk foods, including a sugar tax. Tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions among young children in the UK, so many dental practices, including Perfect Smile Spa are backing the move.

Within the dossier, there is evidence that sugar taxes have worked to reduce consumption of sugary products in five countries, including Mexico. Some levies have reduced consumption of fizzy drinks by up to one quarter, it says.

However, the report says that other methods could be better for addressing the country’s obesity crisis, along with other health problems.

A ban on advertising of junk foods during family television viewing times as well as restrictions on marketing and cut-price promotions could do more, says the report.

Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer since 2010, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “While a sugar tax is totemic, it is not going to have the biggest impact.” She urges the need for reformulation, resizing, preventing promotions and changing advertising.

“I have already put industry on notice that if they don’t respond in the other ways we are going to have to have a sugar tax,” said added.

The dossier warns that many children and teenagers are consuming three times the recommended amount of sugar, whilst adults were found to be faring only slightly better.

It urges for the removal of sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks from supermarket tills and the ends of aisles, with the study showing that sales can be up to 50 percent higher from these areas.

In addition, it calls for restrictions on the use of cartoon characters to advertise sugary products, which were found to have a key role in triggering "emotional responses" from young children. It also condemns the rise of online games that have been placed on social media sites, apps and company websites, which make brands appeal to children.

The report has since been the topic of fierce rows since the Prime Minister opposed any sugar levy. Critics accused him of opposing the policy after being influenced by food giants. He recently hosted Mars, Nestle and major supermarkets in Downing Street.

Now that Mr. Cameron has made a u-turn on the policy, the public, health practitioners and the food industry are all eager to find out more.

BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: "We never expected the PM to become a tax cheerleader, but we expected serious consideration of the facts, on marketing, education and on taxation…Tooth decay and type 2 diabetes are just two conditions placing a huge strain across the health service. Health professionals expect clarity from Ministers that evidence, and not personal prejudices, are shaping their response."

"Doctors, dentists, scientists, a large and growing percentage of the British public and many in the media are calling for action. The ball is firmly in the government’s court," said celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. ​ 

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