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UK PM Truss preparing to scrap sugar tax on soft drinks – The Times

UK PM Truss preparing to scrap sugar tax on soft drinks – The Times
Liz Truss, UK prime minister, delivers her first speech as premier outside 10 Downing Street in London, UK, on Tuesday, 6 September 2022.

Sept 15 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Liz Truss is preparing to scrap sugar taxes on soft drinks and ditch some anti-obesity measures to ease the cost-of-living crisis in the country, The Times reported on Thursday citing government sources.

British finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng has ordered health officials to review obesity control measures, a move that is likely to result in the removal of many of them, the newspaper said.

The Times reported that a ban on “buy one, get one free” promotions on unhealthy food, which was delayed by the government earlier this year amid rising costs, is now unlikely to go ahead.

A ban on sweets and chocolates on display at the checkout, set to take effect next month, was also in doubt.

In an August interview with the Daily Mail, Truss said she would scrap plans to restrict multi-buy deals on food and drink high in fat, salt, or sugar and would not impose any new levies on unhealthy food. Read full story

“(People) don’t want the government telling them what to eat,” Truss said.

(Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin)

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Comments - Please in order to comment.

  • Peter Atkins says:

    Some people’s children …

  • Caroline White says:

    Why is PM Liz Truss favouring manufacturers of fast food over the health of the general and poorer population? Medics are rightly concerned that removing the sugar tax will lead to an increase in levels of obesity- which are already dangerously high and entail more cancer, amputations, blindness etc

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