Sugar increase in Fanta and Sprite prompts calls for new tax on Australia’s food and drinks industry

Stock image of soft drink bottles on a supermarket shelf. The sugar content of Fanta has been increased from 4.5 to 7.2 grams per 100ml. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

An increase in sugar in two popular soft drink brands has prompted health experts to renew calls for laws to cut the sugar in beverages, and to tackle “appalling” behaviour from the food industry.

In July 2020, the government began rolling out the “partnership reformulation program” to encourage food companies to gradually reduce sugar, sodium and saturated fats in their products. The program is entirely voluntary.