The UK government should restrict the supply of sugar and slap a minimum price on it in order to reduce consumption, a new report by health experts argues.
The briefing by the Food Research Collaboration says policies to reduce consumption have focused too much on the manufacturers and consumers of food and drinks, ignoring the supply issues.
Written by Ben Richardson from Warwick University and Jack Winkler, emeritus professor at London Metropolitan University, it claims policy instruments such as the restriction of price promotions or advertisements of products that are high in sugar need to be complemented by supply-side measures to reduce the “availability and affordability” of sugar to the industry.
The authors propose controls on sugar production and imports through the introduction of a marketing quota - a quantitative limit on the amount of sugar that can be sold within a given market. They also recommend bringing back a ‘minimum price’ for sugar.
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“Sugar supply in the UK has been governed by EU regulations on agriculture and trade,” said Richardson. “As a result of Brexit, new agricultural and trade policy in the UK will not only be possible but necessary. The government needs to take this opportunity to restrict the supply of sugar to large manufacturers and instead support the provision of healthier food and drink.”
Professor Winkler added: “Currently, Defra is trying to raise the production of sugar, while Public Health England is trying to lower its consumption. We need a ‘joined-up’ sugar policy. Adopting our proposals for new agriculture policies would create one.”
The report was welcomed by other health campaign groups.
Chairman of Action on Sugar, Graham MacGregor, said: “One of the more startling findings from this study is the blatant discord between Defra’s policy and Public Health England’s campaign for sugar reduction.
“It’s imperative that a joined-up sugar policy with consistent strategies for the UK is in place.”
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