“Sugar Tax” Major Step Forward In Fight Against Obesity

The TPA exercise found that Coca-Cola, with 10.6 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres, will be subject to the tax, but a Starbucks signature hot chocolate with whipped cream with coconut milk, which has 11 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres, will not.

The sugar tax will be an arbitrary burden on the poor which does not take account of the actual content of drinks, critics have said.

The TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) said some beverages full of sugar will be exempt from the "bungled" levy, which was announced in the Chancellor's most recent Budget.

The TPA is calling for the measure to be scrapped after it carried out a comparison of 49 different drinks, including fizzy and energy drinks that will be taxed, and milk-based ones and coffees that will not.

But the Treasury said the tax is a "major step forward" in the fight against childhood obesity, and the money raised will fund more school sports and expanding school breakfast clubs.

Energy drinks such as Monster Origin, 11g/100ml, will be taxed, but Tesco chocolate flavoured milk, 12.4g/100ml, will not be, the study also noted.

The 10 most sugary drinks analysed by the TPA will not be subject to the levy.

TPA chief executive Jonathan Isaby told Sky News the policy has "descended into farce".

He said: "It (the results of the study) suggests to us the Government has not thought through this proposal whatsoever, we're calling for them to scrap it.