Denmark’s short-lived tax on saturated fat had a small but positive impact on the nation’s health, cutting consumption of total fat and boosting vegetable and fibre intake – although it also had the unintended effect of increasing salt intake among women,...
European policymakers may be considering a Europe-wide fat tax in an effort to combat obesity – although such a move would be complicated and subject to considerable debate, according to Alberto Alemanno, associate professor of law at HEC Paris.
‘Fat tax’ is a neat thought, but like all simplistic ideas it falls down at the execution, as the progress of the policy in Denmark shows – it simply doesn’t work in practice.
Hungary will introduce a fat tax as of September 1 this year -a move the food industry says is unnecessary and ineffective in achieving widespread dietary shifts.
A new study on the public health impact of fat tax and subsidies for healthy options concludes they should be included as a suite of policy measures to encourage healthy eating – even though they may have a negligible effect on disease risk.
