Parents’ Perceptions and Responses to the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy

Objective: To record parents’ awareness of the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), and explore associations between negative psychological reactance to the levy and motivation and intentions to change consumption and purchasing.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey with UK-based parents of 5-11 year old children (n=237). Regression analyses were used to test associations between psycho-social responses to the levy and behavioural intentions to change family consumption and purchasing.
Results: 92% of responding parents were aware of the SDIL. 57% supported its aims, but 29% felt it threatened their freedom of choice. 41% expressed intention to change shopping habits or restrict their child’s intake as a result. Reactance and motivation were poorer in low income families, and intentions to change positively predicted by motivation.
Conclusions and implications: This snapshot suggests the UK Soft Drinks Industry Levy is largely supported by parents and associated with intentions to change their children’s intake.