Johnson queries effectiveness of sugar tax

Comments come as government looks to extend levy

Conservative Party leadership candidate Boris Johnson says he wants a review of so-called "sin taxes" on items such as sugary drinks – just days before the government is due to launch a new policy extending the levy to milkshakes.

Later this week Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who was previously a rival to Johnson in the leadership race, before pulling out and giving him his backing, will launch a proposal called Advancing our Health–Prevention in the 2020s, which will look at measures to try and curb sugar intake, and also include other policies to improve public health, such as banning the sale of energy drinks to people under the age of 16.

But Johnson questions whether such "stealth taxes" actually have much impact, and says the time and money should be devoted to encouraging healthier lifestyles through more positive actions.

"The recent proposal for a tax on milkshakes seems to me to clobber those who can least afford it," he said.

"If we want people to lose weight and live healthier lifestyles, we should encourage people to walk, cycle and generally do more exercise. Rather than just taxing people more, we should look at how effective the so-called 'sin taxes' really are, and if they actually change behavior.

"Once we leave the EU on 31 October, we will have a historic opportunity to change the way politics is done in this country. A good way to start would be basing tax policy on clear evidence."

The chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, Shirley Cramer, expressed disappointment at Johnson's remarks.

"One of the successes of the last Conservative government was the introduction of the sugar levy for soft drinks," she said.

"The evidence shows that the sugar levy has worked. Nearly half of the soft drinks market has reduced the sugar in their products to avoid charges. We should be building on the success of the sugar levy, not turning back the clock on the progress that has been made so far."

Johnson's comments are a clear statement to try and win the backing and votes of members of the Conservative Party who will have the final say in choosing the next leader.

But they seem to run contrary to the policy he supported when mayor of London, putting a 10 pence ($12 cents) levy on sugary drinks. It will also be interesting to see if his rival in the leadership race, Jeremy Hunt, feels the need to respond and get involved in the issue, given his background as a former health secretary.