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27th September 2024
01:07pm BST
Today, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly unveiled the results of an independent evaluation of Ireland's Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Tax (SSDT).
It highlights its success in reducing sugar consumption and promoting healthier choices since its introduction in 2018.
The SSDT, part of Ireland’s Obesity Policy and Action Plan (OPAP), was implemented to combat the country’s rising rates of overweight and obesity.
Targeting sugar-heavy carbonated drinks, the tax aims to both reduce consumption and encourage the reformulation of products by the soft drinks industry.
The evaluation, carried out by Munster Research Consultancy on behalf of the Department of Health, revealed that sugar consumption through carbonated drinks dropped significantly following the tax’s introduction.
Minister Donnelly praised the tax's impact, noting that taxing unhealthy products can be an effective tool in promoting public health.
He said, “The SSDT is just one of many measures designed to address obesity and reduce the risks associated with diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer, and other non-communicable illnesses.
“The Evaluation clearly shows its effect.”
In 2010, the average person consumed nearly 6 kilograms of sugar from these drinks annually.
By the time the SSDT was introduced in 2018, this figure had already fallen to 5 kilograms per person.
By 2022, sugar consumption from these drinks had further decreased to 3.8 kilograms per person.
“I am confident we will see long-term health benefits from this significant reduction, particularly among children and young people,” Donnelly added.
The minister also welcomed the reformulation of many popular soft drinks to avoid the tax.
“It’s encouraging that four out of five leading soft drinks brands have been reformulated to fall outside the tax threshold altogether,” he said.
