World-saving chef Jamie Oliver is adding a surcharge to all sugary drinks served at his restaurants across England. Oliver revealed in January that he believes sugar should be taxed like tobacco and "anything else that can, frankly, destroy lives." According to the Nottingham Post, he is following through on his statement and is now charging diners 10p ($.16 USD) per soda and other sugary drinks.
Oliver says that he expects the surcharge to raise £80,000 ($126,657 USD) over the next year. The chef will donate the money to Sustain, a charity that "support's children's health food initiatives across Britain." Oliver adds, "I've seen first-hand the heart-breaking effects that poor diet and too much sugar is having on our children's health and futures... so we have to start here."
Oliver isn't the first to think of taxing sodas and other other sugary drinks. Mexico implemented a 10 percent tax in January 2014 in an attempt to help curb obesity rates and soda consumption. The Guardian writes that so far, the tax appears to be working. On average, the country is buying six percent less soda. Now anti-obesity campaigners want to double the tax to 20 percent.
Taxing sugary drinks has started to catch on stateside as well. Last November, Berkeley, Calif. became the first city in the United States to pass a soda tax. All sugary drinks now feature a one-cent-per-ounce charge.
Eater Video: Put down the soda; here's how to juice like a pro