The New Sugar Tax: A Bitter Pill for Sweet Drinks
The British government is expanding its war on sugar, with pre-packaged milkshakes and lattes now in the crosshairs of a new levy. Announced by the Treasury, this measure aims to tackle the nation's child obesity crisis, forcing manufacturers to rethink recipes or face higher costs. While the familiar sight of a barista-crafted drink in an open cup remains exempt, the same cannot be said for the bottled and canned versions lining supermarket shelves.
This change, set to take effect in January 2028, means that popular items like Starbucks's pre-packaged caramel frappuccino, which contains 9.4g of sugar per 100ml, could be directly impacted. The move signals a significant shift, as previously, sugar laws predominantly targeted fizzy drinks.
The Hidden Calories in Your Daily Coffee
Many of our favourite specialty coffees are essentially adult milkshakes in disguise. Nutritionist Rob Hobson, author of Unprocess Your Life, points out that these beverages are often ultra-processed foods, packed with flavourings, sweeteners, and stabilisers like carrageenan, which can irritate a sensitive gut.
The calorie content is alarmingly easy to underestimate. Some of these drinks contain more than 500 calories—a quarter of a woman's recommended daily intake. To put that in perspective, that's the equivalent of consuming nearly four packets of Walkers crisps or over eight shots of tequila before lunch. Hobson explains the core problem: "Liquid calories don't trigger the same fullness signals as solid food," meaning you consume extra energy without feeling any less hungry, often leading you to reach for a pastry as well.
Political and Public Health Repercussions
The government's analysis reveals the scale of the issue: around 203 pre-packed milk-based drinks, accounting for a staggering 93 per cent of sales in this category, will be subject to the tax unless their sugar content is reduced. The Treasury has justified the move by stating that the minimal calcium benefits from these drinks for young people do not outweigh the harms of excess sugar.
This policy has not been without its critics. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has described such measures as "nanny-state" actions, accusing the government of taxing the "simple pleasures that we all enjoy." However, this comes at a time when a recent review found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are linked to harm in every major organ system, with 64 per cent of adults in England estimated to be overweight or living with obesity.
There is a potential silver lining. The 2016 sugar tax on soft drinks led to a 46 per cent reduction in their sugar content. Now, with the threshold for the levy being lowered to 4.5g of sugar per 100ml, we could see the sugar in some store-bought Starbucks drinks cut by more than half. As Hobson concludes, while there's nothing wrong with an occasional treat, this tax-driven reformulation could be a positive step towards greater transparency, helping people finally understand what they are really drinking.
