The impact of the UK soft drink industry levy on ethnic inequalities in admission rates for caries-related extractions

Objective To assess the impact of the soft drinks industry levy (SDIL) on ethnic inequalities in hospital admissions for caries-related extractions among children in England. Methods NHS hospital admission rates for caries-related extractions among 0–17-year-olds, between March 2007 and December 2024, were stratified into five ethnic groups (white, black, South Asian, mixed and others). Absolute and relative inequalities in admission rates were assessed using the weighted mean difference from the reference group (WMDR) and the Theil index, respectively. The impact of the SDIL on each ethnic inequality measure was quantified in a segmented regression model against a counterfactual scenario of no implementation. Results Compared to the counterfactual scenario of no implementation, there were no absolute reductions in the WMDR at 22 months (0.04, 95% CI: −0.58 to 0.65) and 80 months (−0.16, 95% CI: −1.21 to 0.88) after implementation. Similarly, there were no absolute reductions in the Theil index at 22 months (−0.66, 95% CI: −8.01 to 6.68) and 80 months (−6.15, 95% CI: −19.36 to 7.07). Conclusions The introduction of the SDIL was not associated with reductions in ethnic inequalities in admission rates for caries-related extractions.