“Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life,” Streeting told MPs Tuesday. “It hits the poorest hardest — sets them up for a lifetime of problems.”
Bottles and cartons of milkshakes, flavored milk, sweetened yoghurt drinks, chocolate milk drinks, ready-to-drink coffees and milk substitute drinks will now be eligible for the levy. Drinks prepared in cafes and bars remain out of scope.
The levy requires companies producing drinks that contain between 5g and 8g of sugar per 100ml to pay 19.4 pence per liter while drinks with 8g or more of sugar must pay 25.9 pence per liter.
A government document published Tuesday said ministers expect the Treasury to raise between £40 million and £45 million a year as a result of the changes.
The average sugar content in drinks has fallen by almost 50 percent since the levy’s introduction. It is associated with a fall in rotten tooth extractions in kids and an estimated 8 percent relative reduction in obesity levels among young girls.
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King’s Fund health think tank, said the measure was “not only common sense but also a quick win for government and, most importantly, for children and young people.”