Soda: taxes & regulation

Time to look for alternative sugar reduction ingredients. Picture: © iStock/BogdanReava.

BRC & FDF call for submissions for sugar alternative ingredients

By Jenny Eagle

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) are calling on ingredient manufacturers, product specialists and researchers to submit details of sugar alternative ingredients to help companies reformulate their products.

Support for sugar tax remains constant among Kiwis

New Zealand

Support for sugar tax remains constant among Kiwis

By RJ Whitehead

The number of Kiwis in favour of a tax on sugary drinks has hardly changed in the last year, after a new poll revealed that two thirds of respondents continue to support such a move.

The Cook County soda tax is expected to generate more than $200m next year, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue. ©iStock/OcusFocus

Cook County soda tax due to take effect today

By Mary Ellen Shoup

A penny-per-ounce Sweetened Beverage Tax in Cook County, Illinois, goes into effect today after a temporary restraining order on the levy was dismissed in Cook County Circuit Court. However, retailers have announced they will continue their fight against...

Thailand to introduce new sugar tax over six years

Dateline Southeast Asia

Thailand to introduce new sugar tax over six years

By RJ Whitehead

Thailand will phase in a sugar tax over six years in a bid to help drinks manufacturers to lower their sugar content and take advantage of a simultaneous lowering of tax on sugar-free beverages.

Weight management ranked as the top reason consumers are limiting sugar in their diets, according to Mintel. ©iStock/JulyProkopiv

IFT 2017

Mintel talks trends in sugar and sweeteners

By Mary Ellen Shoup

Sugar reduction is a trend among most consumers (84%), with millennials leading the charge citing more reasons than older consumers for following the health trend, according Mintel.

©iStock/piotr_malczyk

Estonia gives green light to tax sugared soft drinks

By Will Chu

The Estonian Parliament are to introduce a levy to limit the consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks to try to rein in rising cases of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Research: Aussie sugar tax 'would not punish the poor’

Research: Aussie sugar tax 'would not punish the poor’

By RJ Whitehead

A major criticism of the public health lobby’s proposed sugar sweetened beverage tax—that it would unfairly punish the poor and disadvantaged—may have been debunked by research from Deakin University’s Global Obesity Centre. 

Seattle joins other cities such as San Francisco and Berkeley in voting to impose a soda tax. Pic:iStock

Seattle City Council passes soda tax

By Rachel Arthur

Seattle City Council has voted to levy a tax on soda and sugar sweetened beverages, joining other US cities such as Philadelphia and Berkeley.

Health and wellness products are driving the non-alcoholic beverage market in the UK. Pic:iStock/tezzstock

Winners and losers in non-alcoholic drinks: Mintel

By Rachel Arthur

With consumers concerned about the sugar content of their drinks, bottled water is a clear winner in today’s UK non-alcoholic beverage market. But what other drinks are doing well - and which ones are struggling?

Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, has rejected plans for a soda tax. Pic: iStock

Santa Fe rejects soda tax

By Rachel Arthur

Santa Fe voters yesterday rejected a tax on sugar sweetened beverages in the city.

Pic:iStock/elenachaykina

Canada sugar drinks levy would save 13,000 lives, say researchers

By Rachel Arthur

Health organizations in Canada are calling for a sugary drinks levy, with new research suggesting the measure would save 13,000 lives over the next 25 years. But the Canadian Beverage Association questions the data used by the research: and says that...

UK sugar tax confirmed in Budget 2017

UK sugar tax confirmed in Budget 2017

By Rachel Arthur

A UK sugar tax has been confirmed as part of the government’s Budget 2017 today, with the rates set for the two-tier soft drinks industry levy.

©iStock

Be warned: obesity plans make for easy targets

By David Burrows

The UK's childhood obesity strategy has been criticised again – this time in an analysis published in the British Medical Journal. Will all this flak put other EU countries off the idea?

Pepsi and Coke ready for storm as Tamil Nadu’s boycott begins

India

Pepsi and Coke ready for storm as Tamil Nadu’s boycott begins

By RJ Whitehead

Many grocery store owners, restaurant proprietors and refreshment vendors will stop selling drinks made by multinational brands in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu from March 1—though shopkeepers have reported a sharp drop in sales ahead of the protest.

© iStock

Will an end to sugar quotas undermine a sugar tax?

By David Burrows

Health campaigners in the UK fear that the end of the EU’s sugar quota regime will trigger a nosedive in prices and shelter manufacturers from next year’s sugar tax. But analysts say their concerns are “somewhat exaggerated”.

Pic:iStock/PPrat

Can a soda tax discourage ‘go large’?

By Rachel Arthur

Discouraging the sale of ‘jumbo sized’ sugary drinks would have both economic and health benefits, according to a UK study led by the University of East Anglia. Policy interventions – such as soda taxes and portion cap rules – must be carefully designed...

Coca-Cola Christmas truck should be banned, say public health experts

BMJ editorial: ‘Apparently Coca-Cola’s voice counts more than those of directors of public health’

Coca-Cola Christmas truck should be banned, argue public health campaigners

By Rachel Arthur

An editorial published in the journal BMJ this week calls for Coca-Cola’s Christmas truck to be banned as public health campaigners seek to improve children’s health. But Coca-Cola GB has hit back, saying that its tour operates in line with its responsible...

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