Consumption of soft drinks is one of the culprits causing rising levels of obesity and putting people at risk of obesity-related diseases such as heart disease. So the government is proposing to put a “fat tax” on unhealthy foods, beginning with soft drinks, to discourage people for buying them in they hope they opt for the healthiest alternative – water.
Experts at Oxford University claims that a tax of around 20% on sugary drinks and other unhealthy foods could be a “sure, safe bet” in reducing deaths from obesity-related illnesses, including cutting around 2700 heart disease deaths a year.
Other European countries have already set a trend of taxing unhealthy foods; Denmark was the first country in the world to introduce a “fat tax” last October, on foods high in saturated fat, whilst France has taxed sugary drinks. And now the UK government, in response to calls to resolve the issue of the nation’s poor diet, looks set to follow suit.
The move is not only designed to improve the health and diet of the UK, but also to reduce the financial impact that dealing with obesity and related illnesses has on the NHS and on the taxpayer. Tax is high on other products that are unhealthy, such as alcohol and tobacco, so the theory is that similar levels of tax should go on unhealthy foods too, starting with soft drinks.
Water is a not only a vital and nutritious resource, it is a FREE one. A glass of water is a much better alternative to soft drinks, and hopefully a cost incentive might help encourage people to make the right choice and opt for water to keep hydrated. The Water Cooler Company offer an extensive range of water coolers so you can ensure that opting to lose the sugar doesn’t mean losing the taste.
