The Government has announced that the Soft Drinks Industry Levy is being updated to include sugary milk-based drinks – such as milkshakes, flavoured milks, sweetened yoghurt drinks and ready-to-drink coffees – which were previously exempt.
The update also lowers the entry point for the levy from 5g of sugar per 100ml to 4.5g of sugar per 100ml, meaning more high-sugar drinks will now fall within scope.
Many of these drinks contain extremely high amounts of added sugar and can be marketed as “healthy”, even when they include more sugar than a can of cola. Bringing them into the levy is designed to encourage companies to reduce sugar and make it easier for families to choose drinks that do not harm their teeth.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, said: “We strongly welcome the decision to close the milkshake loophole in the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. For too long, sugary milk-based drinks have been marketed as a ‘healthier’… Source by Oral Health Foundation Read More
