Johnson Pledges Review of U.K.’s ‘Sin Taxes’ on Salt, Fat, Sugar
- Candidate to replace May attacks plan for milkshake levy
- Government is considering banning energy drink sales to kids
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Boris Johnson, the favorite to replace Theresa May as U.K. prime minister, has pledged he’ll launch a review of “sin taxes” on salt, fat and sugar, a signal that he wants to adopt an economically liberal approach after years in which government tried to clamp down on unhealthy behavior.
Johnson said in a press release he wanted to be convinced that such taxes worked, and that they didn’t hit the poorest hardest. “The recent proposal for a tax on milkshakes seems to me to clobber those who can least afford it,” he said. “If we want people to lose weight and live healthier lifestyles, we should encourage people to walk, cycle and generally do more exercise.”