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In the Media
Energy and Environment
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20 January 2026
Christopher Snowdon quoted in The Irish Mail on Sunday
IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon has been quoted in The Irish Mail on Sunday arguing that it’s time to drop the sugar tax.
Christopher said:
“There is no evidence from anywhere around the world which shows that these policies lead to a reduction in weight, obesity or even overall calorie intake,
“So if you expect these taxes to reduce obesity, they certainly don’t do that.
“There has been a decrease in the amount of sugar consumed from soft drinks, but manufacturers reformulated their products a year or two before the tax came in.
“Arguably much of that was to do with the general campaigning that was going on around sugar intake, rather than the tax itself.
“There’s also evidence that, when you bring in these taxes, people may stop buying sugary drinks but substitute them for other sugary products instead.”
Read the full article on page 20 of the Irish Mail on Sunday (26/02/2023).
Christopher said:
“There is no evidence from anywhere around the world which shows that these policies lead to a reduction in weight, obesity or even overall calorie intake,
“So if you expect these taxes to reduce obesity, they certainly don’t do that.
“There has been a decrease in the amount of sugar consumed from soft drinks, but manufacturers reformulated their products a year or two before the tax came in.
“Arguably much of that was to do with the general campaigning that was going on around sugar intake, rather than the tax itself.
“There’s also evidence that, when you bring in these taxes, people may stop buying sugary drinks but substitute them for other sugary products instead.”
Read the full article on page 20 of the Irish Mail on Sunday (26/02/2023).
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