'It needs to be significantly increased': Calls to raise 'invisible' sugar tax on sweet drinks

Sugary soft drinks are now being sold at the same price — or even cheaper — than sugar‑free options, according to researchers. File picture

The sugar tax on sweet drinks, introduced almost eight years ago, has become “invisible” because of inflation and shifts in how products are sold, prompting academics to call for a significant increase.

Sugary soft drinks are now being sold at the same price — or even cheaper — than sugar‑free options, according to researchers at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), University of Limerick (UL), and University College Dublin (UCD).