Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-12.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what work his Department has done to assess the potential effect of the soft drinks industry levy on levels of obesity in children and teenagers.

Jane Ellison

The Chief Medical Officer has said that reformulation and resizing are the key wins to tackle obesity.

The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has been specifically designed to encourage companies to reduce the amount of added sugar in their products and move consumers towards healthier choices, by promoting low-sugar brands and introducing smaller portion sizes for high-sugary drinks.

The government will monitor industry progress in reformulation over the coming years.