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A new campaign has been launched today by a coalition of foodservice industry bodies calling on the government to reconsider the soft drinks tax, which is due to come into force in April 2018.

‘Face the Facts, Can the Tax’ is supported by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), the Automatic Vending Association, the British Beer & Pub Association, The British Soft Drinks Association, The Federation of Wholesale Distributors, and The Food & Drink Federation, among others.

The launch of the campaign follows last week’s Oxford Economics report, which stated that more than 4,000 jobs are at risk across the UK as a result of the tax as well as the prediction that calorie consumption will only fall by five calories per person per day.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the ALMR, said: “Eating out is an occasional treat and pubs and restaurants have worked hard to reformulate menus, reduce calories and provide customers with greater choice and nutritional information. Those efforts are ongoing, as part of the sector’s wider promotion of responsible consumption. An additional cost burden is unlikely to help in this regard.”

The coalition is calling on the government to focus on more meaningful measures to tackle the obesity crisis and support UK businesses and consumers.

Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said: “At a time of economic uncertainty the government needs to be supporting these businesses and working with industry to support actions that are already making a difference, such as reformulation, smaller packs, and more marketing of the many no sugar options now available.” 

The campaign claims that the sugar tax, which was heavily campaigned for by TV chef Jamie Oliver and UK charity Sustain, will not solve obesity and the group wishes to work with the government to deliver what it calls ‘holistic policy solutions’.