The introduction of the sugar tax will be used to fund school sports and health breakfast clubs.
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AoS said: “Theresa May has failed the nation with the release of such a weak “obesity strategy” despite calls to release a robust and effective plan”.
But lobby groups such as the Action on Sugar (AoS) and the Children’s Food Campaign (CFC), together with consumer group Which? – which accused the government of being in denial – were scathing in their criticism of the strategy for missing the opportunity to introduce mandatory restrictions on the advertising and promotion of sugary products to children.
“We are incredibly disappointed but sadly not surprised by this move”.
‘The government continue to ignore the children’s oral health crisis we are experiencing in the United Kingdom and are putting the wellbeing of millions of people a risk by bowing to pressure from the food and drink industry.
“It outlines significant steps to tackle the problem head on including a commitment to introduce a levy on sugary drinks and an ambitious programme to reduce the level of sugar in food and drink, which we are proud to be leading on”.
Ian Wright, of the Food and Drink Federation, said: “Soft drink companies are already making great progress to reduce sugars from their products, having achieved a 16 per cent reduction between 2012 and 2016.”He said the target to reduce sugar was “flawed” because it focused on “the role of this single nutrient, when obesity is caused by excess calories from any nutrient”.
The fear was children would face a rising tide of ill-health from obesity well into the future.
However, the plan says Public Health England will report on whether the industry is reducing sugar content and, if it is deemed that insufficient progress has been made, the Government will consider “whether alternative levers need to be used”.
Under the plan, the government is to introduce a soft drinks industry levy on producers and importers across the United Kingdom, created to encourage a reduction in the amount of sugar contained in these products.
Dr Wollaston – who is chairwoman of the health select committee – said it was “really disappointing” that “whole sections from the original draft have been dropped”, including measures on advertising junk food to children and on promotions such as two-for-one deals.
A report from Oxford Economics published earlier this month claimed the soft drinks tax would lead to more than 4,000 job losses in the United Kingdom – mostly in the retail and hospitality industry – and that the United Kingdom economy would decline £132 million as a result of the levy being introduced.
“The planned levy is already showing how it can be a powerful signal for change and I urge companies to reformulate their products before it starts in 2018”. The Government said that the revenue from the levy, which will placed on producers and importers rather than consumers, will be invested in physical activity for school children. “In 2014/15 the Department of Health spent £5.1 billion on obesity related illnesses alone”.
Its chief executive, Shirley Cramer CBE, commented: “If we are to stand any chance of reversing the shocking rates of childhood obesity, it will require hard hitting action on many fronts”.
“One third of children are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school”.
Today it’s key points were confirmed as the government announced its “Childhood Obesity Plan”.
“Obesity kills as surely as smoking; Government took on the tobacco industry effectively, although it was a tough challenge, and can do it again now”.
“The Government claims to be working in the interests of children and their families”.
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Both the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said the levy would be a “burden” on the industry and see pubgoers paying more.
