OCU shows litte confidence in the sugar tax

For OCU, a mandatory reduction of at least 10% of added sugars in processed products would be more effective. The Council of Ministers will aprove an increase in excise duty on tobacco and alcohol tomorrow and will set a new levy on products with high sugar content. This levy is already being applied in countries such as the United Kingdom and is justified as a measure to improve health and reduce the high consumption of sugar that currently stands at 94 grams per person per day in Spain.

OCU expressed its lack of confidence in this type of measures, which understands that only serve to collect more taxes without actually attending to the supposed objective of improving the health of consumers. For OCU this tuype of tax does not serve to discourage the consumption of sugary drinks because it will only increase in a few cents each container, and also the proceeds will not be invested in campaigns to promote healthy habits.

In the opinion of OCU, as it is being claimed through the campaign "Less sugar, healthier" (Menos azúcar más sano), http://www.ocu.org/movilizate/menos-azucar it is necessary to move from voluntary agreements of reformulation to measures which make it mandatory to reduce at least 10% added sugars in processed products, without this being accompanied by a substitution by sweeteners.

In addition to OCU, it is essential to achieve greater control in advertising aimed at children and that consumers are able to work the exact amount of sugar added to the products. For this reason, it is compulsory for manufacturers to indicate on the labeling the quantity of added sugars.

Finally, OCU emphasizes the need to prevent products with high sugar content such as cookies, pastries or dairy products from being able to carry nutritional or health claims or scientific endorsements; Being products with an excessive presence of sugar and therefore unhealthy.