Scots are the least likely to change diet due to sugar tax

Scots are least likely to be deterred from consuming unhealthy food and drink by the so-called sugar tax, a survey has revealed.

Almost half of people across the UK claim that the tax making sugary products more expensive would encourage them to cut down on these items – but only one in four Scots say it would affect their eating habits.

The sugar tax, which comes into force today, will mean that manufacturers of soft drinks containing more than 5g of sugar per 100ml will pay a tax of 18p a litre to the Treasury – 24p per litre if the sugar content is over 8g per 100ml – with the cost passed on to retailers and customers. The government and health campaigners hope this will put consumers off buying the most sugary drinks and lead to a decline in obesity.

Health experts today welcomed the tax, which will see the price of a typical can of Coke rise by 8p.

Deborah Shipton, public health intelligence adviser at NHS Health Scotland, said: “The way we live today – high car use, sedentary jobs, easy access and more exposure to and marketing of cheap, high calorie food and drinks – makes it so much easier, and normal, to eat and drink too much and to do too little activity. This is why most of us in Scotland are overweight.

“To change this, we need to change the environment that we live in, and consider how food is advertised, promoted, priced and labelled.”

Caroline Cerny, spokeswom- 0 Sugar tax comes into force across the UK today an for Obesity Health Alliance, said: “We’re all eating more sugar than is recommended and sugary soft drinks contribute to this – particularly in teens where sugary drinks are their top source of sugar.

“They provide empty calories and contribute not onlytorisinglevelsofobesity but also to poor dental health.”

The Mintel report found that three quarters of consumers say that easier to understand nutritional information on product packaging would encourage them to cut down on unhealthy food and drink, rising to 81 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds.

Meanwhile, 73 per cent claim rewards such as supermarket points for making healthy choices would encourage healthier eating.

Emma Clifford, associate director of food and drink for Mintel, said: “When considering how to encourage more healthy eating using the carrot or the stick approach to motivation, the rewards strategy is seen to hold more sway over consumers’ food choices.”