Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Interest group fights against levy on sugar products

bottling plant of soft drink company
Consumers in Switzerland on average drink 68 litres of soft drinks every year. © Keystone/Christian Beutler

Consumers have overwhelmingly come out against a tax on food with a high level of sugar, fat and salt, according to a survey by the Swiss soft drink industry.

Three out of four people said they rejected such a proposal, which is nearly 10% more than in a similar poll two years ago.

The survey also found that self-responsibility is crucial to eating healthily and that the state should not intervene by taking legal measures.

However, Swiss consumers want transparent information on products, notably with a so-called traffic light label, the lobby group said in a statement on Wednesday.

The group points out that the industry has taken the initiative to reduce sugar levels in soft drinks by 13% since 2005 but it acknowledges that more needs to be done to inform consumers about these efforts.

The survey – the sixth of its kind – is based on 1,000 interviews conducted last March. It was commissioned by an interest group of the soft drink industryExternal link.

Critics say it is an attempt by the lobby group to stop parliament from introducing a levy on sugar in beverages.

More
Soft drinks

More

Too much sugar in Swiss soft drinks

This content was published on Did you know that in some countries that have a ‘sugar tax’ soft drinks contain half as much sugar as they do in Switzerland?

Read more: Too much sugar in Swiss soft drinks

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Italian voters lead political discussions while playing cards, ahead of the elections for the center-left coalition primary elections in Italy, Sunday, October 16, 2005 in the Casa Italia in Zurich, Switzerland.

More

Italian consulate to relocate to ‘Casa d’Italia’ in Zurich

This content was published on The Italian state is renovating the "Casa d'Italia" in Zurich's Kreis 4 district, with plans to move the Consulate General from its current location on Tödistrasse in District 2 to this historic building.

Read more: Italian consulate to relocate to ‘Casa d’Italia’ in Zurich
A man cleans up the remains of a blown up ATM at the Blitz Garage Volketswil, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021 in Volketswil.

More

ATM explosion rocks canton Vaud

This content was published on Unknown assailants detonated an ATM in canton Vaud early Sunday morning, causing extensive damage to the building. The perpetrators fled the scene and remain at large.

Read more: ATM explosion rocks canton Vaud
Lake Parade in Geneva attracts over 100,000 people

More

Lake Parade in Geneva attracts over 100,000 people

This content was published on The 22nd Lake Parade and the Lake Sensation in Geneva attracted over 100,000 people in summery weather on Saturday. There were no major incidents at either event.

Read more: Lake Parade in Geneva attracts over 100,000 people

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR