Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what effect the Soft Drinks Industry Levy has had on consumption rates for people on low incomes.

An assessment of changes in sugar levels in drinks covered by the SDIL was included in PHE’s first report on progress for the Sugar Reduction Programme, published in May 2018. The report is available to view at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/709008/Sugar_reduction_progress_report.pdf

This early assessment showed that sugar had been reduced by 11% per 100ml, and average calories for drinks likely to be consumed on a single occasion reduced by 6% by retailers and manufacturers. Data also showed that consumers are buying more drinks that have sugar levels below the SDIL cut off of 5g per 100ml.