Sheffield leisure centres pioneer 20p '˜sugar tax' to combat obesity

The 11 leisure centres, run by the Sheffield City Trust charity, plan to pre-empt former Chancellor George Osborne by levying the charges before they become compulsory.

Mr Osborne unveiled the charge earlier this year in an attempt to combat rising obesity levels.

Sheffield International Venues will donate £25,000 generated from the charges to health schemes.

Chief executive Steve Brailey said he thought the new charge, which comes into effect next week, was “bold but necessary”.

He said: “Obesity is a major issue in Sheffield, with more than half of all adults obese or overweight, and this is contributing to an alarming rise in Type 2 Diabetes.

“Unlike a chocolate bar, cake or bag of crisps, drinks are not automatically seen as a treat and people who drink them tend to have them every day.

“Some of these drinks are incredibly high in sugar with no nutritional benefits. A typical can contains enough sugar - about nine teaspoons - to take someone over their recommended sugar intake in one hit.

“By introducing the sugar tax, we hope to shift customer demand from fizzy to healthy alternatives.”

Plans for the tax have been endorsed by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver Greg Fell, Sheffield’s director of public health.

Mr Fell said: “People can improve their health by cutting down on the amount of sugar they eat and drink. Small changes can make a big difference.

“I think it’s great that SIV is trying something new and will be reinvesting money into new health projects.”

Jamie Oliver has also introduced a sugar levy at his restaurants.