he UK National Health Service (NHS) has announced it is “stepping up the battle against obesity, diabetes and tooth decay” by declaring that sugary drinks will be banned in hospital shops from next year unless suppliers voluntarily take decisive action to cut their sales over the next 12 months. 

The organization says that leading retailers have already agreed to continue voluntarily reducing sales of sugary drinks to 10 percent or less of their total drinks sales within hospitals over the coming year.

WH Smith, Marks & Spencer, Greggs, the SUBWAY brand, Medirest, ISS and the Royal Voluntary Service are among the leading suppliers who have today pledged to cut sales.

Remaining retailers are now being urged to join them.

NHS England Chief Executive, Simon Stevens, said: “A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go down but spoonfuls of added sugar day-in, day-out mean serious health problems.”

He added, “It’s great that following discussion with NHS England, big name retailers are agreeing to take decisive action, which helps send a powerful message to the public and NHS staff about the link between sugar and obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.”

In response to the announcement, Gavin Partington, Director General at the British Soft Drinks Association said that it makes sense to promote sales of healthier options in hospitals, but said the NHS shouldn’t focus on soft drinks, “the only food and drink category which has seen a significant reduction in consumer sugar intake, down by over 18% since 2012.”

“It’s also worth remembering that while sugar intake from soft drinks has been falling, obesity levels have been increasing,” he added.

Partington continued, saying, “However, its good to see NHS England taking a pragmatic approach to the issue by including all drinks that contain added sugar - milk-based drinks and coffee - but still allowing consumers a variety of options.”

Members of Health charities and bodies responded positively, with Katherine Button, the Campaign for Better Hospital Food coordinator, saying: “We are delighted that NHS England has taken such decisive action to reduce the sale of sugary drinks in hospitals.”

“NHS hospitals are trusted by patients, families and staff to keep them fit and well and NHS England is helping everyone to take a big healthy step in the right direction,” she said.

Malcolm Clarke of the Childrens Food Campaign also applauded the NHS’s decision, saying, “With a clear target on reducing sugary drinks sales in hospitals and a specific sanction on retailers in place should that not be met, the NHS is living up to its public health leadership role.”

However, he warned that the NHS’s sugar reduction efforts, and those of health professionals, charities and parents across the country, could be hampered if the Government does not introduce a sugary drinks tax as planned.

“The Prime Minister must ensure that the Soft Drinks Industry Levy continues to be part of the Finance Bill when it is debated in the Commons on Tuesday 25 April, and is passed into law before the dissolution of Parliament,” Clarke stated.