US EditionMilkshakes and lattes to be hit with sugar tax, Wes Streeting announces
The UK government will apply the sugar tax to pre-packaged milk-based drinks from April 2028, aiming to reduce children's sugar intake, which is over double the recommended level.
- On Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Commons the government will expand the levy to include pre-packaged milkshakes, lattes and bottled/carton milk drinks, excluding cafe-made open-cup drinks.
- The SDIL's origins trace to the 2018 levy introduced to tackle obesity by the Conservative government, with officials citing children's sugar intake exceeding twice the recommended 5% energy from free sugar.
- The government will reduce the sugar threshold to 4.5g per 100ml, applying levy rates of 19.4 pence and 25 pence per litre, and manufacturers must reformulate or pay by the companies’ reformulation deadline.
- The Treasury expects up to £45 million a year, to be reflected in Rachel Reeves's 2025 budget, while health modelling projects a cut of 17 million calories a day, and producers may alter taste or prices.
- Past SDIL reformulation cuts sugar dramatically in scope products, with about a 46% reduction, while campaigners said lowering the threshold to four grams would have driven further reformulation and Wales will introduce related restrictions soon.
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37 Articles
U.K. slaps sugar tax on milkshakes in battle against child obesity
Read: 2 min The U.K. government on Tuesday extended a sugar tax to include milkshakes as part of the fight against obesity and tooth decay in children. The levy will affect pre-packaged milkshakes, ready-to-go coffees and sweetened yoghurt drinks, but not ones made in cafes and restaurants, it said. The announcement by the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer follows a call by the World Health Organization in 2023 for countries to in…
Milkshakes and Lattes to Come Under Sugar Tax Rules: Streeting
Pre-packaged milkshakes and lattes will be subject to the sugar tax, the Health Secretary has announced. Wes Streeting told the Commons on Tuesday the Government will end the exemption for milk-based beverages from the existing tax on sugary drinks. The move will affect products such as packaged milkshakes, coffees and sweetened yoghurt drinks but not drinks made on site in cafes and restaurants. Mr Streeting told MPs: “Obesity robs children of …
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