Recipe for Change is a campaign calling for a new industry levy to help make our food healthier, while raising revenue that can be invested back into children’s health. This evidence briefing looks at the health and economic benefits of an upstream sugar and salt levy.

This evidence briefing describes the potential health and economic gains from implementing an upstream sugar and salt levy, as recommended by the National Food Strategy: The Plan. 

The development of this briefing has been led by The Food Foundation on behalf of the Recipe for Change campaign. The modelling of health and economic impact was conducted by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), building upon initial data and analysis conducted for the National Food Strategy.  

The modelling explores potential impacts from sugar and salt reduction for prevention of future cases of key diet-related diseases such as diabetes and cardio-vascular disease, as well as the potential long term economic benefits from associated increases in Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and cost savings to the NHS.

The modelling study and Recipe for Change coalition are funded by Impact on Urban Health.

The briefing sits alongside a technical report by LSHTM, pre-print available here.