Public Support Ban on Sugary Drinks in Schools: New research commissioned by the BBC has found that more than 40% of the public would be in favour of a tax on sugary drinks, whilst almost three fifths (59%) suggested that applying cigarette-style warnings to sugary drink packaging would help deter them from drinking them and encourage them to eat more healthily. The survey, which asked the views of 1,000 people in Britain, has been called ‘too simplistic’ by sugar industry representatives, who say that demonising sugar is not the answer. {Tweet This}

Public Support Ban on Sugary Drinks in Schools According To Market Research

Current government policy bans the sale of sugary or fizzy drinks – as well as crisps and sweets –  in UK schools which are managed by a local authority but does not legislate on whether or not children are allowed to bring these items in to school from home (that decision is left to individual Head Teachers).

However, these laws do not currently apply to Academies, or to Free Schools – which combined account for around half of state secondary schools. It should be noted that as of later this year, these rules will be brought in across the whole of the state sector – as well as in the private sector.

Government policy provides a list of approved drinks which can be supplied to children which includes water, fruit juice, vegetable juice, low-fat milk, drinks based on soya, oats or rice or plain yoghurt drinks. A full list of guidance is available from the Children’s Food Trust.

Schools are also told to remove drinks which have ‘no nutritional value and can cause tooth decay’.

The poll comes only a few months after Valance Primary School in Dagenham banned children from bringing in sugary drinks from outside as part of a healthy eating initiative. Further research, reported in October 2013, has also suggested that around one in twenty teenage school pupils goes to school having had an energy drink rather than a healthy breakfast, whilst a third are eating unhealthy breakfasts such as a fry up, or a packet of crisps. {Tweet This}

Further results from the BBC findings suggest that three quarters of those surveyed would support fixed limits on the sugar content of some foods, whilst three fifths (60%) said that they want supermarkets to stop promoting unhealthy products through price cuts and offers.

A spokesman for the Food and Drink Federation, the food sectors industry body, said that many manufacturers had already shown their commitment to improving public health through labelling, education, reformulating foods or creating new, healthier options.