Junk Food Tax for a Healthier Scotland

Taxes will be implemented next year which intends to make Scotland decrease consumption on unhealthy drinks and snacks.

Once the tax will be carried out, Scotland will become the first UK country to levy on junk foods. Said tax were introduced by the Holyrood parliament with the aim to address the country's obesity problem. Reports about the alarming diet of the nation will be submitted for assessment to ministers in the coming month. This is but a beginning of the many organized activities which will be put into effect in order to bring about change.

Many politicians are convinced that it's about time for action and some show backing of the sugar tax.

However, some are still looking for more effective ways on how to address the obesity epidemic. Ross Finnie, chair of Food Standards Scotland or FSS, goes: 'a sugar tax could be considered as part of the solution but there is not one single silver bullet to addressing obesity and diet-related health problems in Scotland.'

FSS presented a report on Scotland's diet which brings to light the fact that there have been little improvement to fight obesity for the past 15 years. The implementation of the tax intends to tackle the unhealthy lifestyle difficulty since it has been observed that such shows no sign of slowing down especially in places where circumstances are poor.

'This is a real opportunity for the Scottish Government to take the lead as they have done on other issues, like smoking and alcohol.' Dr David Blane of Obesity Action Scotland speaks 'I sense the momentum building. There does need to be a package of measures but restricting marketing and promotion of unhealthy food and drinks and improving labelling would also help.'

It has been found out that people from Scotland consume more junk foods, sweets and soft drinks than other people from the UK.