A few years ago, I adjusted my diet to have a lower carb percentage, but (1) Pepsi was my favorite drink, with Dr. Pepper as a close second, and (2) I could not stand the diet versions of Pepsi or Dr. Pepper.
By doing some contortions I was able to arrange things to keep having Pepsi or Dr. Pepper while still meeting my overall carb goals, but it was annoying as those drinks were pretty much using up all of my carb allowance.
So I took another look at Diet Pepsi, which had a couple different kinds available with different sweeteners, and Diet Dr. Pepper. Still terrible, but I could power through and choke down a few sips with a meal.
I know a lot of people don't like coffee or beer when they first try them, but are told that they will learn to like them if they keep drinking them, and they do so to fit in...and in fact do come to like those drinks.
So I kept choking down Diet Dr. Pepper or Diet Pepsi in small amounts with my meals...and after a week or so, found that I actually had come to like them!
I'm tempted to try a Tab now, to see how far the "learn to like" phenomenon can be pushed, but I'm still waiting for the bizarre aftertaste from that Tab I tried in the late '60s to fully fade, so am somewhat afraid to do any further experiments.
Anyway, my point is that if you just tried the non-sugary stuff once and gave up because of the foul taste, it might be worth trying a few more times. You may be able to learn to like it, and so restore somewhat variety to your carbonated drink options.
Perhaps flavored waters might be a good choice?
The sugary drinks tax follows on from a highly successful salt reduction programme.
https://publichealthengland.exposure.co/salt-reduction-progr...
Desired by the lawmakers who passed the tax. And for the benefit of the larger group. A public health crisis is taking place - and if the sugar tax lowers the amount of resources spent on treating the widespread occurrence of diabetes, it will be a net benefit for society.
Yes, at the cost of your personal freedom to have readily available sugary drinks.
Not for me, and the way you've framed this is creepy. I don't have diabetes and I very much do not desire to have some of my favorite drinks eliminated by a nanny state trying to solve someone else's self-inflicted health issues. The top-down, metric-based, technocratic ideology doesn't even take my freedom of choice or personal stake in the matter as input.
We can't drive on the wrong side of the street. We can't sell tainted food. We can't lie in order to drum up sales.
Society has restrictions on freedom.