The introduction of a levy on sugary drinks across UK celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurants has been associated with a fall in sales of the beverages.
In September 2015, Oliver introduced a 10 pence levy to sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) sold at ‘Jamie’s Italian’ restaurants, to send a message to the Government about the effect poor diet and too much sugar has on children’s health.
After the levy was added to the drinks, their sales fell by 11 per cent over a 12-week period. After six months, SSB sales were 9.3 per cent lower than before the levy, UK researchers wrote.
There was more of an effect in restaurants that sold more sugary drinks to start with, a British Medical Journal press release says.
The charge was one of various other measures that included a beverage menu redesign and a range of new fruit spritzers and milk options.
Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, October 2017
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