A sugar tax won't work. Here's why
by Jessica Burt from on (#12MMN)
They might not grab headlines or have celebrity backing, but there are better ways to tackle obesity than a blunt rise in cost
Taxing unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as the levy placed on alcohol and tobacco, is an established way of raising revenue for the UK. With sugar now inextricably linked to the obesity crisis, ministers in the UK are being urged to tax it.
However, placing a tax on sugar is not as straightforward as it first sounds. Unlike alcohol and tobacco, there is a clear necessity for everyone to buy and consume food. Sugar is a naturally occurring nutrient, for example in fruit, as well as a more refined product, as on the teaspoon, but seeking a tax that distinguishes between the two can be artificial.
