The United Kingdom on Friday became the latest country to join a growing list of countries that have enacted ‘sugar tax’ laws on sweetened beverages as a way to fight obesity among children which is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases later in life such as hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes among others.
The UK is said to have the highest level of obesity in Western Europe.
A Lagos High court in Igbosere, on Monday ordered the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to compel the Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (“NBC”), producers of Fanta and Sprite soft drinks to include health warnings on its label which says that the drinks cannot be taken with Vitamin C.
According to a report in The Nation Newspaper, Justice Adedayo Oyebanji made the order while delivering a judgement on a case brought before it by a Lagos businessman, Dr. Emmanuel Fijabi Adebo of Fijabi Adebo Holdings Ltd against NBC and NAFDAC.
Lucozade and Ribena, two famous brands of Japanese Food and Beverage Company, Suntory said it will cut 50% of the sugar content in its drinks in the UK and Ireland by next summer. The announcement comes ahead of a proposed sugar tax on sweetened beverages set to go into effect in both countries in 2018.
The company said it would reformulate all its drinks to contain less than 4.5g of total sugar per 100ml – the equivalent of one teaspoon. Currently, the drinks contain 13g and 10g of sugar per 100ml serving respectively.
Distell Group, South African-based wine, spirits and Cider Company said it would take over the marketing and distribution of its brands in the UK, ending a contract relationship with three UK distributors.
A new report in the UK, which looks at the health benefits of beer when compared to other alcoholic beverages confirms that, contrary to myth, that beer is low in sugar compared to other alcoholic beverages such as wines and spirits.
AB InBev UK, has restated its commitment to providing full ingredient and nutritional information for its beers sold in the UK, reaffirming a European pledge made with other brewers last year.
Information will include energy values, fat and saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt.
