Unlimited sugary drink refills are now banned in France

LONDON - Unlimited refills of sugary drinks have officially been banned in France, Le Figaro reports, as the government aims to fight obesity and diabetes.

The measure was adopted in April 2015, incorporated into the Health Act of January 2016, and came into force on Friday. It states that drinks containing added sugars or sweeteners must not be available on an unlimited basis, either for free or for a fixed price.

It means soda fountains will disappear from schools and public eateries including hotels, restaurants, and holiday clubs.

In France, one in six adults are considered obese, which is just above to the European average. One in five French children are considered overweight, while 3.5% are obese. Europe-wide, a third of children aged between six and nine are overweight.

In the UK, where over 20% of the adult population is considered obese, no such ban on unlimited refills exists but a tax on sugary drinks will be introduced in 2018. In France, a tax on sweetened beverages has been in place since 2012.

The list of beverages covered by the French law includes flavoured carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, concentrates such as fruit syrups, and other water, fruit and milk-based beverages. Sports drinks and energy drinks are also impacted.