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Lifestyle Economics
28 April 2025
Energy and Environment
Monetary Policy
Chris Snowdon quoted in the Times
Chris Snowdon’s comment on the sugar tax has been quoted in the Times, the Independent, the Express, the Guardian, LBC, the Telegraph, Shropshire Star, Cambridge Independent, STV News, and Daily Business.
The Times article said:
“Milkshakes and lattes are set to be hit by a sugar tax for the first time as Labour moves to extend the levy to hundreds more soft drinks, including Pepsi and Ribena.
“Pre-packaged milkshakes and coffees will be covered by the levy, ministers said on Monday, ending an exemption they described as an anomaly. The present laws have mainly affected fizzy drinks…
“Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute for Economic Affairs, described the sugar tax as an “epic fail”, saying that child obesity rates had continued to rise since it was imposed. “To justify an expanded tax on the basis of a hypothetical reduction of one calorie a day is absurd. Sugar taxes have never worked anywhere. What happened to Starmer’s promise to not raise taxes on working people?” he said.
“In an impact assessment, the government argued that expanding the tax would take an average of about one calorie a day out of the diet of adults and children aged five to ten, and just over two calories for teenagers.”
Read the full article here.
The Times article said:
“Milkshakes and lattes are set to be hit by a sugar tax for the first time as Labour moves to extend the levy to hundreds more soft drinks, including Pepsi and Ribena.
“Pre-packaged milkshakes and coffees will be covered by the levy, ministers said on Monday, ending an exemption they described as an anomaly. The present laws have mainly affected fizzy drinks…
“Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute for Economic Affairs, described the sugar tax as an “epic fail”, saying that child obesity rates had continued to rise since it was imposed. “To justify an expanded tax on the basis of a hypothetical reduction of one calorie a day is absurd. Sugar taxes have never worked anywhere. What happened to Starmer’s promise to not raise taxes on working people?” he said.
“In an impact assessment, the government argued that expanding the tax would take an average of about one calorie a day out of the diet of adults and children aged five to ten, and just over two calories for teenagers.”
Read the full article here.
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