Britain's Sweet Move: Cutting Sugar in Drinks

The United Kingdom is stepping up its fight against sugar. They are adding more drinks to their sugar tax. This tax now includes sweetened milk drinks, like flavored milks and milkshakes. It also covers milk alternatives with added sugar, yogurt drinks, and some coffee drinks. Companies have until January 2028 to reduce sugar in their products or pay the tax. This is part of the U. K. 's plan to tackle obesity and sugar-related health problems. The government believes this change could cut 17 million calories from the nation's daily sugar intake. This could help prevent serious health issues like cancer, heart disease, and stroke. It could also ease the burden on the health system. The U. K. first introduced a sugar tax on soft drinks in 2018. This tax was successful. Many companies reduced sugar in their drinks to avoid the tax. As a result, many British sodas now have less sugar than similar products in the U. S. The new rules lower the sugar threshold even more. This encourages companies to reduce sugar further. A nutritionist who supported the tax said sugary drinks were the main target. She noted that sugar is a major reason why children in the U. K. are hospitalized. Research shows the initial tax has already reduced health risks. It has prevented thousands of obesity cases among young girls. The impact is greater in deprived areas. An American living in the U. K. noticed the health benefits. She said British products are often healthier than similar items in the U. S. She felt more energetic and had clearer skin after switching to lower-sugar products. In the U. S. , only a few cities have soda taxes. This means American manufacturers have less incentive to reduce sugar in their products.