Campaigners call for tax on soft drinks

The charity says that this would reduce cases of diet-related diseases by tens of thousands, saving the NHS £15 million a year.

It has published a new online tool that shows the cost-savings and health impacts such a tax would have on local areas, using research from Research Fellow in Health Economics Brendan Collins from the University of Liverpool and Food Active.

Malcolm Clark, co-ordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign, said, ‘Current taxes on foods are a mess, and don’t support people choosing healthier options.

'A 20p per litre sugary drinks duty would save lives and money across England, and ease the pressure on NHS services locally. It is a logical, proportionate and effective masure.’

The charity argues that a tax on sugary drinks would make them more expensive and therefore lead to a fall in consumption. As the number of calories consumed falls, so does obesity, leading to fewer cases of obesity-related diseases.

Over a period of 20 years, the charity predicts that healthcare spending could be cut by £300 million in England.

For example, according to their data, across the population level for the London Borough of Westminster it is estimated that a 20 per cent sugary drinks duty would reduce average energy consumption by 6.65 calories (kcal) per person per day. This would cut cases of diabetes by 150, bowel cancer by 27 and strokes by 102. Altogether, such predictions would lead to £915,352 in savings for the NHS.

According to the National Heart Forum, soft drinks are the largest source of sugar for children aged four to ten, as well as teenagers.

A recent analysis from the Health and Social Care Information Centre revealed that more than 1,200 under-twos were hospitalised last year because of rotten teeth – mainly due to sugary drinks. This is a ten per cent increase since 2010.

Professor Damien Walmsley, British Dental Association’s scientific adviser, said, ‘A tax on sugary drinks and food is a no brainer. It's a scandal that one in eight of our three-year olds currently experiences tooth decay. It's time we tackled the problem at source.’

The Children’s Food Campaign held a protest in January when Coca-Cola signed a sponsorship deal with the London Eye.

Volunteers were at the famous attraction handing out toothbrushes to families and holding signs showing statistics for tooth decay.