Leading hospitality trade bodies have signed up to a campaign urging the Government to rethink the soft drinks tax.
The ALMR, British Beer & Pub Association and The Scottish Licensed Trade Association are among a coalition of British businesses backing the ‘Face the Facts, Can the Tax’ drive over fears the sugar levy could wipe £132 million off GDP.
The campaign comes on the back of a report published last week by global forecasting experts Oxford Economics, which warned that up to 4,000 UK jobs could be at risk as a result of the sugar tax.
In particular, the hospitality sector and small retailers sector would be ‘predominantly’ affected by the impact of the levy, which would only reduce the average consumer’s daily calorie intake by five calories a day – equivalent to one bite of an apple, according to the research.
“The introduction of a tax on sugary drinks will increase costs burdens for businesses and consumers and we do not believe it will be the ‘silver bullet’ that will tackle this country’s obesity problems,” Kate Nicholls, ALMR chief executive, insisted.
“Eating out is an occasional treat and pubs and restaurants have worked hard to reformulate menus, reduce calories and provide customers with greater choice and nutritional information. Those efforts are ongoing, as part of the sector’s wider promotion of responsible consumption. An additional cost burden is unlikely to help in this regard.”
Brigid Simmonds OBE, chief executive, British Beer & Pub Association described soft drinks as an ‘important part of the sales mix’ and a ‘great choice for drivers’.
“The new tax further increases the burden of taxation on pubs – and will push up prices of soft drinks for pub goers,” she added.
“With research from Oxford Economics showing up to 1,800 jobs in the pub and restaurant sector alone are at risk from this tax, the Government should think again about this unnecessary burden on our nation’s pubs.”
Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, which is funding for the campaign, claimed that global evidence showed a tax would not make a difference to obesity. “What it will do, as this report shows, is damage thousands of businesses across the entire soft drinks supply chain, from farmers, to manufacturers, to convenience stores and the pub and restaurant trade,” he said.
Partington urged the Government to work with industry to support actions that are already making a difference, such as ‘reformulation’, ‘smaller packs’, and more marketing of the ‘many no sugar options now available.’
