Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh BJP chief and Rajamahendravaram MP Daggubati Purandeswari has urged the central government to consider imposing a ‘health tax’ on sugar-sweetened beverages and junk food in India. She raised the issue under Rule 377 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, citing concerns over rising obesity, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases linked to high sugar consumption.
The MP pointed out that countries like the UK, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia have successfully introduced sugar taxes and front-of-pack labelling systems like Nutri-Grade to curb sugar consumption. For example, Singapore’s Nutri-Grade label mandates colour-coded grading (A to D) based on sugar content, and prohibits advertising of drinks with a ‘D’ grade. She highlighted that preliminary data from Singapore shows a reduction in the median sugar level of packaged drinks from 7.1% in 2017 to 4.7% in 2021,and an increase in the sale of healthier A and B grade drinks. The UK’s sugar levy has reduced sugar levels by 28.8% and is estimated to prevent over 5,000 cases of obesity annually among schoolgirls.
Call for a Health Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages & Junk Foods in India!
The rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and non-communicable diseases in India are alarming, driven by excessive consumption of sugary drinks and junk food. Successful models from the UK and Singapore,… pic.twitter.com/pTnEoKe5Nt
— Daggubati Purandeswari 🇮🇳 (@PurandeswariBJP) April 1, 2025
She urged the Government to introduce a graded front-of-pack nutrition label, levy a ‘health tax’ on sugary beverages and ultra-processed junk foods, and set mandatory limits on sugar and salt content in packaged items, as recommended by the Economic Survey.
