Lucozade and Ribena SLASH sugar content by 50% to help fight obesity crisis
Fizzy drinks manufacturers are cutting sugar to beat a levy which comes into force in 2018
MAKERS of Lucozade and Ribena will cut their sugar content by more than 50 per cent to beat the sugar tax.
Lucozade Orange, which has the most sugar compared to other soft drinks on the market, will have its sugar slashed from 13g to 4.5g - a whopping 65 per cent reduction.
Ribena will also have its sugar reduced to 4.5g, a reduction of 55 per cent.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory, who make the drinks, have also pledged to clearly display the number of calories on the front of their bottles.
Chief operating officer Peter Harding told : “Today’s announcement is a game-changer for our business and for those people who love and enjoy our drinks.
"The world has changed, with consumers now wanting healthier drinks and more action from the brands they regularly enjoy.
“We believe our decision to radically reduce sugar by 50 per cent in Ribena, Lucozade and Orangina while still delivering a fantastic taste is a great moment for our company, our loyal consumers and for the wider food and drink industry.”
The new low-sugar drinks will hit supermarket shelves from July 2017.
The move comes as NHS chiefs put forward plans to ban sugary drinks from hospitals.
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The ban would apply to cafes, shops and vending machines and would stop chains such as Costa and Starbucks from selling sweetened coffees on NHS premises.
They hope to help staff crack down on their diet, with 700,000 doctors, nurses and other health staff too fat.
Tesco have also cracked down on sugary drinks., halving sugar content in their own brand products.
What is the sugar tax?
The ‘sugar tax’ was announced earlier this year and will encourage manufacturers to reformulate their products to contain less sugar or pay more in tax.
It’s expected to come into force in April 2018, with drinks with sugar content above 5g per 100ml taxed at 18p per litre and and over 8g per 100ml 24p per litre.
The money raised will go towards developing sports programmes in schools across England as the government try to prevent childhood obesity.
Lucozade is the worst offender with 62g of sugar in a 500ml bottle, and Coca-Cola a close second with 53g of sugar per 500ml.
Soft-drinks companies will have to pay extra in tax for soft drinks with more than 5g and 8g of sugar from April 2018.
The government say the controversial levy is a step towards fighting child obesity and the tax will pay for fitness and activity programmes in schools.
New figures reveal the childhood obesity crisis in the UK has reached "crisis point", with experts declaring increasing rates a national "state of emergency".
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