The sugar tax will be applied to packaged milkshakes and lattes for the first time, Wes Streeting has announced.
The health secretary told the House of Commons that ministers are removing the exemption for milk-based drinks and that ministers would not look away “as children get unhealthier”.
The threshold for the tax will also be lowered to 4.5g of sugar per 100ml, from the existing 5g per 100ml.
The move comes ahead of Wednesday’s Budget, in which Rachel Reeves is expected to announce a raft of tax rises as she looks to plug the gap in the public finances.
Speaking at health questions on Tuesday, the health secretary said: “Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life, hits the poorest hardest, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems and costs the NHS billions.
“So, I can announce to the House, we’re expanding the soft drinks industry levy to include bottles and cartons of milkshakes, flavoured milk and milk substitute drinks.
“We’re also reducing the threshold to 4.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres. This Government will not look away as children get unhealthier and our political opponents urge us to leave them behind.”
The move will affect packaged milkshakes and coffees, but not drinks made in cafes or restaurants.
The sugar tax – also known as the soft drinks industry levy – is a tax on pre-packaged drinks sold in cans or cartons.
It was introduced by the Conservative government in 2018 to help drive down obesity, including among children.
Earlier on Tuesday, a minister described obesity as the “major challenge of our health service for our generation”.
Asked whether tackling obesity was more important than raising revenue, Karin Smyth told Times Radio that “the wider point is about tackling obesity, which we know is one of the biggest causes of ill health, and therefore demand on the health service”.
She added: “Measures we’ve already announced as part of the manifesto, to reduce junk food advertising, particularly to protect young people from becoming obese, because if you become obese at a young age, it does limit your life chances…
“Obesity is the major challenge of our health service for this generation, and it is important that we make sure that we create the healthiest young generation of children coming forward.”
Reacting to Mr Streeting’s announcement, Katharine Jenner, executive director at Obesity Health Alliance, said: “Ending the exemption for sugary milkshakes and bringing more sugary soft drinks into the levy is a sensible and long-overdue step to protect children’s health – especially their teeth.
“The soft drinks industry levy has already removed billions of teaspoons of sugar from the nation’s diet without harming industry growth, proving that clear, consistent rules are effective.
“We now urge the Government to press on with implementing the rest of its NHS 10-year plan for health – helping to rebuild a food environment that supports children’s health rather than undermines it.”
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King’s Fund, said: “It is well known that when government sets clear statutory rules, industry responds fast.
“Far from limiting freedom for individuals, smart regulations like the milkshake tax expands it, enabling people to live more of their lives in good health.”
