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Jamie Oliver urges govt to be "bold" with sugar tax

Friday 23rd October 2015
TV chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver has encouraged government ministers to be
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Jamie Oliver has urged government ministers to be "big and bold" and introduce a sugar tax on fizzy drinks to help address the growing childhood obesity problem.

The TV chef and food campaigner said it was right to target beverages, rather than other sources of sugar like chocolate, because few people are aware of how much a single can contains.

Speaking to MPs on the House of Commons' Health Committee, he said the tax would be the "single most important change" that could be made and was needed to improve the nation's childhood nutrition. 

Mr Oliver said the tax would also be "deeply symbolic" as well as raising up to £1 billion each year for the economy, if an estimated 20 per cent tax was introduced. He said he'd like to see this additional revenue split between the NHS and primary schools.

Although ministers have suggested that a tax will not be introduced, the TV chef said he didn't believe the idea had been completely "written off" and has started a petition for it to be introduced.

The most important reason for introducing the tax, according to Mr Oliver, was sending a clear message to drinks manufacturers. 

Mr Oliver, who has introduced a levy on soft drinks with added sugar in his own restaurants, said: "Who is running the country? The businesses who are profiting from ill health or is it us?"

He likened the tax to disciplining children, saying it was like sending bad kids to the naughty step.

In a statement, the Department of Health responding by saying: "The government has committed to a tax lock to avoid raising the cost of living and to promote UK productivity and economic growth.

"The causes of obesity are complex, caused by a number of dietary, lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors, and tackling it will require a comprehensive and broad approach."

Written by Martin Lambert

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