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2025 sugar tax: seven years on

The ‘sugar tax' seven years on

British Dental Journal volume 238, pages 638–639 (2025)Cite this article

Key points

  • The Soft Drinks Industry Levy is widely considered a success, with reductions in sugar consumption, childhood caries, obesity and health inequalities.

  • Given the success, the levy will be increased further from April 2025 to ensure it remains effective and continues to encourage reformulation.

  • Annual levy increases, national supervised toothbrushing programmes and expansion of community water fluoridation are all public health measures which support oral health, but further action on high-sugar products, such as energy drinks and school food policies, is recommended.

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References

  1. Bridge G, Flint S W, Tench R. An exploration of the portrayal of the UK soft drinks industry levy in UK national newspapers. Public Health Nutr 2020; 23: 3241-3249.

  2. Rogers N T, Conway D I, Mytton O et al. Estimated impact of the UK soft drinks industry levy on childhood hospital admissions for carious tooth extractions: interrupted time series analysis. BMJ Nutr Prev Health 2023; 6: 243-252.

  3. Cobiac L J, Rogers N T, Adams J et al. Impact of the UK soft drinks industry levy on health and health inequalities in children and adolescents in England: an interrupted time series analysis and population health modelling study. PLos Med 2024; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004371.

  4. UK Government. Oral health survey of 5-year-old schoolchildren 2024. 2025. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/oral-health-survey-of-5-year-old-schoolchildren-2024 (accessed February 2025).

  5. Watt S, Dyer T A, Marshman Z. Are teenagers ‘drowning' in sports and energy drinks? The need for upstream and downstream interventions. Br Dent J 2023; 235: 779-781.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Clinical Fellow and Specialty Registrar, University of Sheffield and NHS England North East and Yorkshire, UK

    Samantha Watt

  2. Professor and Honorary Consultant in Dental Public Health, University of Sheffield, UK

    Zoe Marshman

Authors
  1. Samantha Watt
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  2. Zoe Marshman
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Samantha Watt or Zoe Marshman.

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Cite this article

Watt, S., Marshman, Z. The ‘sugar tax' seven years on. Br Dent J 238, 638–639 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-025-8638-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-025-8638-y

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