Tax unhealthy foods to tackle obesity, say campaigners

Health and children’s groups are asking UK ministers to put taxes on products with too much salt or sugar.

These groups say that new taxes, similar to the sugar tax on soft drinks, would help people eat healthier by making food companies change their products.

Their request is in a letter to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and the health secretary, Wes Streeting, signed by 35 groups. These include organizations representing doctors, dentists, public health leaders, health charities like Diabetes UK and the World Cancer Research Fund, and a senior person from Jamie Oliver’s charity.

The groups believe that taxing unhealthy foods, such as cakes, sweets, biscuits, crisps, and snacks, would raise billions of pounds for the government and reduce illnesses caused by poor diets.

Polls show that two-thirds of people in the UK support taxes on products like sugary foods, as long as the money raised is used to improve children’s health.

The survey of 4,943 British adults by YouGov, done for the Recipe for Change food campaign, also found:

• 74% think food companies are not truthful about how their products affect health.
• 61% are concerned about the amount of sugar and unhealthy fats in their food.
• Only 13% believe food makers will make their products healthier without government action.
• 72% are worried about how much processing is involved in food production.

Last week, Reeves mentioned in the budget that the Treasury is considering expanding the sugar tax, which started in 2018, to include other sugary items like milkshakes and sweetened coffees. The tax is generally seen as successful.

Anna Taylor, head of the Food Foundation, which also signed the letter, said: “The harm caused by the food industry to children’s health is the biggest threat to our nation’s well-being and future productivity, and it needs to be stopped— urgently.”

The government needs to take stronger action and create real incentives to make the food industry work faster and more effectively to improve public health.

The National Food Strategy, published in 2021 and created by Henry Dimbleby (a co-founder of the Leon restaurant chain), suggested a new “salt and sugar reformulation tax.” In recent months, several organizations, including the House of Lords’ food, diet, and obesity committee, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), and the British Heart Foundation, have backed the idea of food taxes.

These health groups want the government to start tightly controlling the food industry. They argue that the voluntary approach, where companies were asked to make healthier products on their own (as done during the 2010-24 Conservative governments), hasn’t led to enough change.

The letter explains that voluntary changes, like reducing sugar, salt, and calories, have not worked well. For example, a 3.5% reduction in sugar in key products was achieved through voluntary efforts, but the sugar tax on soft drinks led to a 34.4% drop in total sales between 2015 and 2020.

A recent report shows that only 34% of the top 30 food and drink companies’ global sales come from healthier products. For example, Danone, Barilla, and Arla have higher percentages (70%, 65%, and 58%, respectively), but Coca-Cola has only 38%, and companies like Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, and Mars have even lower percentages.

Despite pressure from health groups and governments, manufacturers are not making significant progress in improving the nutritional quality of their products.

Jamie O’Halloran from the IPPR said that without strong regulatory changes, the food system will continue to fail in promoting healthier lifestyles, especially for people on lower incomes. He suggested that taxes on sugary and ultra-processed foods could make a big difference, especially if the money raised is used to help low-income households make healthier food choices.

The Food and Drink Federation said that companies are already making their products healthier. They mentioned that products now contain 25% less sugar, 24% fewer calories, and 33% less salt compared to 2015, and they have added 190 million more servings of fiber to the population.

A government spokesperson said obesity is a serious health issue, affecting 26% of adults and costing the NHS £11.8 billion each year. They also mentioned that the budget includes measures to keep the soft drinks tax effective, and a 10-year health plan will be published in spring 2025.

Published: 8th November 2024

Also Read:

A report says the UK’s asylum system makes women who are escaping sexual abuse suffer more trauma
What will the UK’s 2030 clean energy plan mean for businesses and the public?
Retail sales growth in the UK is slowing down as shoppers hold off on spending until Black Friday deals