Campaigners are calling for a ‘calorie tax’ on crisps, pastries and other unhealthy foods

Campaigners are putting pressure on the government to implement a so-called ‘calorie tax’ that could see the price of savoury snacks like crisps and baked goods rise.

Action on Sugar and Action on Salt have both said that a calorie levy would encourage food manufacturers to make healthier products. It follows the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy - widely known as the sugar tax - which is said to have taken 90 million kilograms of sugar out of the diets of people in the UK.

What does the government think?

The government says that is has no plans to implement the tax outlined by the campaign groups, and claims it is already working hard to reduce exposure to sugary and fatty foods.

But the campaign groups argue that the sugar tax “does not go far enough”, and that more needs to be done to help people avoid suffering the consequences of a poor diet.

A study at Queen Mary University of London found that fat contributes significantly more to the calorie content of some unhealthy foods, including 850 cakes and biscuits analysed. Campaigners say that the tax is therefore needed to more effectively reduce the consumption of these foods.

It has also been proposed that the funds raised through the proposed levy could be ring-fenced and used to help fight childhood obesity.