The BDA has insisted that ideological preferences must not stall essential progress on sugar reduction, as new evidence reveals the compulsory levy on fizzy drinks has made greater inroads to reduce sugar levels than voluntary initiatives.

The progress report on the sugar reduction programme between 2015 and 2018 reveals sugar levels in drinks covered by the levy reduced ten times faster than in foods such as biscuits, cakes, sweets and puddings subject to a voluntary 'challenge' to companies to reduce levels of sugar.

Voluntary measures secured reductions of just three per cent, against a 20% target over five years, with only breakfast cereals and yoghurts on track. Soft drinks meanwhile saw a 29% fall in sugar content, as businesses attempted to reduce their exposure to the Sugar Levy.

Similar concerns emerged over the government's reported attempts to distance itself from the recent Prevention Green Paper, which expressed support for tried and tested policies including supervised tooth brushing in schools, a ban on sales of energy drinks to under-16s, alongside expansion of the sugar levy.