The U.K. will impose a new sugar tax on soft drinks based on the amount of sugar they contain beginning in 2018.
Pure fruit juices and milk-based drinks will be excluded, and the smallest producers will be exempt from the tax, according to a BBC story.
The move is being hailed as a significant step in the fight against pediatric caries and obesity.
"This will reduce the risks of obesity, tooth decay, and other life-threatening diseases," Duncan Selbie of Public Health England said in a statement.
The government expects to raise 520 pounds ($739 million) annually, which will be used to fund school athletics.
