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2025 sugar tax: seven years on

The UK sugar tax: seven years after and forward

British Dental Journal volume 238, pages 640–641 (2025)Cite this article

Key points

  • The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has been effective in reducing sugar consumption and has led to better health and lower health inequalities.

  • Advocacy by a wider coalition, including civil society groups, and with clear and focused messaging, can create and maintain momentum towards health promoting policies.

  • The specific characteristics of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy have facilitated product reformulation, while political consensus was key for its introduction and sustainability.

  • This success serves as a model for upstream public health policies, emphasising collective social responsibility over individualistic approaches.

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References

  1. Rogers N T, Cummins S, Jones C P et al. Estimated changes in free sugar consumption one year after the UK soft drinks industry levy came into force: controlled interrupted time series analysis of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2011-2019). J Epidemiol Community Health 2024; 78: 578-584.

  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. Penney T L, Jones C P, Pell D et al. Reactions of industry and associated organisations to the announcement of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy: longitudinal thematic analysis of UK media articles, 2016-18. BMC Public Health 2023; 23: 280.

  5. Scarborough P, Adhikari V, Harrington R A et al. Impact of the announcement and implementation of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy on sugar content, price, product size and number of available soft drinks in the UK, 2015-19: A controlled interrupted time series analysis. PLoS Med 2020; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003025.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Dental Public Health, University College London, UK

    Georgios Tsakos

Authors
  1. Georgios Tsakos
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Correspondence to Georgios Tsakos.

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Cite this article

Tsakos, G. The UK sugar tax: seven years after and forward. Br Dent J 238, 640–641 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-025-8660-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-025-8660-0

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