The tax, which will be imposed on companies and based on the sugar content in drinks, is expected to raise about $944 million annually in the UK.
The author of the international best-selling book "I Quit Sugar", , thinks it is a really good first step.
"Hopefully we will be able to keep the momentum going and move it on towards breakfast cereals and low fat diet products that are full of sugar," she said.
"Multinational companies know the writing is on the wall."
Britain joins France, Belgium, Hungary and Mexico which have imposed some form of tax on drinks with added sugar.
Scandinavian countries have levied similar taxes with varying degrees of success for many years.
Ms Wilson said Australian consumers want change and that Australia would have to follow the UK.
"Multinational companies know the writing is on the wall.
"If government does not make the change I think we are going to see it happen from these big food giants."
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has also pleaded with the Australian government to "pull its finger out" and follow Britain's lead in placing a levy on sugary drinks.
"This is bold and brave, and this will send ripples throughout the world," Oliver said in a post on his Facebook page.
"If you are looking at this from other countries ... Australia, pull your finger out.
"It's about time your government got on this," he said.
Related reading
UK sugary drink tax puts pressure on Australia
Jobs on the line
The , which represents Australia's $7 billion non-alcoholic beverages industry, is disappointed and perplexed by developments in the UK.
"We are quite dismayed that the UK government would go down this path," said CEO Geoff Parker.
"We know that they have been in consultation with the industry for quiet some time. But we were of the understanding that the discussions were around more involved education programs and looking at marketing to children.
"We had thought the topic of a tax was well in the background."
The Council says introducing a similar tax in Australia would have a negative impact on some of the 46,000 jobs in the country's non-alcoholic industry.
"The smaller companies would be the hardest hit."
Tackling Australia's expanding waistline
About 25 per cent of Australian children are overweight or obese, and over 60 per cent of adults are.
Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
"If we increase the price by approximately 20 per cent we known that would have an impact on overall consumption level," said spokesman Craig Sinclair.
The partnership between 12 health and community organisations, including the Cancer Council, Heart Foundation and Nutrition Australia, believes there is public backing for a tax
"Based on surveys in Australia we know there is very strong support for this type of taxation on sugar sweetened beverages if it is being used for public health efforts," said Mr Sinclair.
The Australian Beverages Council said as a strategy to reduce obesity a tax would do very little.
"Here in Australia the average Australian gets less that 2 per cent of their daily kilojoules from soft drinks."
"And in fact the consumption of regular kilojoule sugar drinks has been declining, and declining over about the last 15 years."
It said if the government was serious about tackling obesity it should look at "discretionary" food or treat food.
"The average Australian child gets 45 per cent of their daily kilojoules from discretionary or treat foods."
"Soft drinks are listed way down the list at seventh for kilojoule contribution from discretionary food."
With AAP.
