Recent proposals to introduce a sugar tax have been criticised as an unacceptable interference in personal freedom. However, this objection misunderstands the nature of modern food consumption. When sugar was a luxury, personal choice was meaningful. Today, processed foods containing hidden sugars dominate supermarket shelves, and food manufacturers deliberately exploit our biological craving for sweetness to drive consumption. In this context, the sugar tax is not restricting choice but rather correcting a market failure. Children are particularly vulnerable, with their preferences shaped by aggressive marketing before they can make informed decisions. Far from being a restriction on liberty, a sugar tax would help restore genuine freedom of choice by leveling the playing field between healthy and unhealthy options.