Soft drink sugar tax starts, but will it work?

Soft drink sugar tax starts, but will it work? The "ground-breaking" sugar tax on soft drinks has come into force in the UK.

From Friday manufacturers have to pay a levy on the high-sugar drinks they sell.

Ministers and campaigners believe it has already proved to be a success with many firms reducing sugar content ahead of the change. But others say it is still too early to judge the impact.

Leading brands such as Fanta, Ribena and Lucozade have cut the sugar content of drinks, but Coca-Cola has not.

The introduction of the levy means the UK joins a small handful of nations, including Mexico, France and Norway, which have introduced similar taxes. BBC News

See also: 

• Taxes on soft drinks, alcohol and tobacco in UK would help offset the burden of chronic diseases, says College Royal College of General Practitioners