Food Chain - Issue 195 - August 2023 | Page 63

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Belvoir Farm
shifts added though capacity could rapidly increase . However , the drinks industry in 2023 is not what it was 20 years ago .
“ Things have changed significantly ,” Frank reflects . “ One of the biggest upheavals our industry has experienced has been the drastic changes in consumer behavior . Over the last two decades there ’ s been a crackdown on peoples ’ consumption of sugar , as healthier lifestyles have risen in prominence . So much so that , amidst producers such as ourselves organically looking to adjust our recipes to suit customers ’ newfound needs , the government introduced the sugar tax a few years back .”
In April 2018 , the UK Government introduced the Soft Drinks Industrial Levy ( SDIL ). The two-tier tax was designed to protect children from excessive sugar consumption , as part of an initiative to tackle childhood obesity across the country . The total provisional receipts for the SDIL reached around £ 334 million during the 2021 to 2022 financial year .
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