Tackling the UK's sugar problem

A new briefing paper has outlined six proposals for UK policy designed to help the country tackle sugar-related problems.

‘Sugar Shift: Six Ideas for a Healthier and Fairer Food System’ argues that a reduction in sugar consumption, as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), must be achieved by meeting both public health and social justice concerns.

Written by Dr Ben Richardson, associate professor in international political economy at The University of Warwick, the paper has published by the Food Research Collaboration (FRC), a project established to facilitate joint working by academics and NGOs, to improve the UK food system.

The six policy proposals are:

1. Introduce a 20% sugary drinks duty and ring-fence it for public health programs.
2. Make the promotion of healthy and sustainable diets mandatory for food and drink corporations.
3. Un-brand corporate social responsibility and feature different body sizes in food and drink advertising.
4. Reform subsidies to sugar beet producers in the EU and support small-scale, mixed farming in the UK.
5. Pay a real living wage in UK-owned sugar companies and UK-based food companies.
6. Advance a global convention to protect and promote healthy diets in the WHO.

Dr Richardson said: “A reduction in sugar consumption will help lower certain health risks, but food policy must be about more than just restricting what people eat.

“To create a fairer food system in the UK and internationally, we need a holistic approach to food policy. This approach links what we eat to what we grow and also links health concerns to social justice concerns.

“While sugar is in the crosshairs of debate, we should think about addressing the other ills in the food system with which it is associated.”

FRC Chair Professor Tim Lang said: “Government needs longer-term strategy to relink production and consumption for human and environmental health and to create decent jobs producing good quality foods that don’t add burdens to the [National Health Service] like sugar. We must look at the evidence from around the world on ways to reduce sugar consumption, such as in food taxes, but also ensure that social justice and fairness are part of a new food policy fit for all people, not a small but powerful vested interest.”