Danone UK boss urges government to raise fat, sugar and salt taxes Sweet nothings The UK boss of a major food firm has called on ministers to link VAT rates to the “health credentials” of products containing fat, salt and sugar, in the first example of such a demand coming from business rather than government. James Mayer, president of Danone UK & Ireland, which sells the Actimel yoghurt drink [...]
HMRC rakes in £50bn thanks to new business taxes TAXES New research released today has revealed that HMRC has collected more than £50bn from firms in the last decade thanks to eight new business taxes. According to data from Thomson Reuters, in the past year alone, eight new taxes raised a total of £7.2bn from businesses, including £300m from its newest tax, the Soft Drinks [...]
Sugar is biggest vice for almost one in four Brits Nearly one in four Brits say sugar is their biggest vice, according to a new survey. Researchers also found more than a quarter (27 per cent) of those polled believe an addiction to sugary drinks has a detrimental effect on their health in the form of tooth decay, weight gain and dehydration. The survey also [...]
Why investors should pay attention to sugar August 14, 2020 | City Talk Government action to promote healthy eating, especially in light of the spread of Covid-19, and ongoing changes in consumer tastes will continue to create headwinds for the food and beverage industry, and increasingly for food retailers and hospitality companies too. We’ve known for decades that obesity puts people at greater risk of serious and life-threatening [...]
The sweetest thing: Ben & Jerry’s CEO on why businesses need a higher purpose January 13, 2020 What is the purpose of business? Should companies focus purely on selling their products and making money for their shareholders, or do they have a responsibility to give something back to the planet and try to do good? It’s a pertinent question, and one that has become increasingly relevant over the last decade. Nor is [...]
Dear Santa, for this Christmas I want the nanny state to get lost December 19, 2019 What is the best thing about Christmas? Presents are nice. Spending time with friends and family is obviously a highlight. But for many of us what truly makes the season is the food. Mince pies, pigs in blankets, Christmas pudding, a snifter of sherry — the festive period is all about indulging. But will we [...]
It may not be Hammond’s cup of tea, but we deserve some tax-cutting champions May 31, 2019 I for one am thrilled to see politicians not just talking about tax cuts, but competing for the best policy to reduce a tax burden that is at a near 50-year high. Sure, it took a leadership contest to get them properly talking about it, but from the home secretary’s endorsement of the Adam Smith [...]
Fevertree’s remarkable turnaround April 5, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. A 15 per cent trading range following annual results shows how divided opinion is on this AIM favourite now. Having accelerated from £158 million at IPO to a £3 billion-rated company in just over four years, posh mixers firm Fevertree Drinks (LSE:FEVR) underlined again today why it is regarded in [...]
Irn-Bru maker AG Barr sees revenues edge up March 26, 2019 Irn-Bru maker AG Barr revealed a modest bump in annual profits and revenues this morning, shrugging off challenges from a new sugar tax and CO2 shortages but forecasting continued uncertainty in the months ahead. The figures In its full-year results this morning, the FTSE 250 soft drinks manufacturer said that revenue grew by 5.6 per [...]
Is the proposed ban on TV junk food ads before 9pm just another example of nanny state regulation? March 19, 2019 Is the proposed ban on TV junk food ads before 9pm just another example of nanny state regulation? Daniel Pryor, head of programmes at the Adam Smith Institute, says YES. When the government wants to treat TV ads for fruit juice like soft porn, you know something has gone horribly wrong. There’s no legal definition of [...]