Latest updates from around the world

The ‘Latest updates from around the world’ section of the website reviews the on-going food and beverage tax debate from all angles. In the sections linked below you can find reviews and links to articles in the media, academic research by leading experts and the views of decision-makers from around Europe contributing to the debate on food and beverage taxation.

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13.06.2012

German study finds paternalism angers consumers

Regional news network HR-fernsehen (Hesse) ran their own small-scale study in a local shop that stuck shoppers with a (fictional) 2 Euro 'tax' on 'unhealthy' foods. The journalists found that the tax...

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What others say: experts, Consumer behaviour, Paternalism, Taxation, Thomas Danne, Germany
30.05.2012

20% tax on unhealthy food products

Denmark has the ‘fat tax’, France the tax on sugary drinks, and Ireland is now considering something similar. The question is: what exactly should be taxed? Certain ingredients? Whole food product...

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What others say: media, Consumer behaviour, Fat tax, Obesity, Germany
26.05.2012

From Coke to Coors: A Field Study of a Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax and its Unintended Consequences

A six-month field experiment was conducted in a small American city to examine whether taxes on soft drinks could reduce obesity. Some key insights from the experiment: “Could taxes on soft dri...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, What others say: experts, Andrew Hanks, Brian Wansink, David Just, Elaine Wethington, Harry Kaiser, Jeffery Sobal, John Cawley, Obesity, William Schulze, United States
01.05.2012

Introducing taxes, subsidies or both: The effects of various food pricing strategies in a web-based supermarket randomized trial

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of varying taxing and subsiding schemes to stimulate healthier food purchases. Some key insights from the study: “Price decreases are effective in...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, What others say: experts, Albertine Schuit, Food prices, food purchases, Health policy, Ingrid Steenhuis, Jacob Seidell, Michiel de Boer, nutrition policy, Wilma Waterlander
01.03.2012

Nutritional taxes as a policy instrument for public health: Rationales and expected impact

This article surveys the economic literature about fiscal food policies, illustrating the main issues by empirical results about the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages. Some key insights from th...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, Taxes unfair, What others say: experts, Fabrice Etilé, Fiscal food policy
10.02.2012

Food taxes: what type of evidence is available to inform policy development?

This paper investigates the relevance of seven different types of studies that present evidence that can be used as information for policy development on health matters. Some key insights from the...

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Government revenue, Ineffective consumer behaviour, What others say: experts, Corinna Hawkes, Policy Development
17.01.2012

Rand Corporation study concludes ‘soda tax ineffective at combating obesity’

Watch this video for a short summary of why a soft drink tax would be ineffective at combating obesity, according to a new Rand study. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYqG5_mgZf8...

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Ineffective on obesity, What others say: media, Childhood obesity, Obesity, Soda tax, United Kingdom, United States
12.01.2012

Balance over taxation say young farmers

The Dutch young farmers' association (NAJK) have come out in favour of balance over taxation, Chairman Wilco de Jong explains. Mr. de Jong stresses the necessity of balanced food consumption as pavin...

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Industry, Agriculture, Balance, Farmers, Ingredients, Taxation, Netherlands
07.12.2011

Fat taxes in the EU: between fiscal austerity and the fight against obesity

Alemanno, Alberto & Carreño, Ignacio, 2011. “Fat taxes in the EU between fiscal austerity and the fight against obesity”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 4, 2011 This essay pro...

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Education not tax, Ineffective on obesity, What others say: experts, education, Government revenue, Europe
01.11.2011

Why tax soft drinks and not ‘foie gras’?

Even in a cash strapped European Union, a new fizzy drinks tax seems like a non-solution whether it be to promote better health or bolster state coffers. In an article published in Les Echos, the Bel...

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What others say: experts, What others say: media, Consumer behaviour, Obesity, Taxation, Belgium, France
30.09.2011

The Australian Paradox: A Substantial Decline in Sugars Intake over the Same Timeframe that Overweight and Obesity Have Increased

Barclay, Alan W. & Brand-Miller, Jennie, 2011. “The Australian Paradox: A Substantial Decline in Sugars Intake over the Same Timeframe that Overweight and Obesity Have Increased”, Nutrients3...

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Ineffective on obesity, What others say: experts, Australia
01.03.2011

Heterogeneous Consumer Responses to Snack Food Taxes and Warning Labels

The experiment assessed the possible effects of targeted snack food taxes on purchase decisions via computer-assisted intercept surveys in Canadian supermarkets. Some key insights from the experime...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, What others say: experts, Consumer behaviour, Price elasticity, Ryan Lacanilao, Sean Cash, Wiktor Adamowicz
01.02.2011

European Union public opinion on policy measures to address childhood overweight and obesity

The study gathered data to examine whether differences in public opinion about policy options to fight the obesity problem exist among EU countries, and shows that there was little support for i...

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Education not tax, Ineffective on obesity, What others say: experts, Childhood obesity, Chris McIntyre, Suzanne Suggs
14.01.2011

Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and overweight in children from a Mediterranean country

The study assessed the association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and being overweight in children from a Mediterranean country (Portugal). Some key insights from the study: ...

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Ineffective on obesity, What others say: experts, Childhood obesity, Hugo Valente, Portugal
30.11.2010

Alternative fat taxes to control obesity

Clark, J. Stephen & Dittrich, O. Ludwig, 2010. “Alternative Fat Taxes to Control Obesity”, Int Adv Econ Res 16.4, 2010 The paper studies three alternative types of fat taxes to determine...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, Ineffective on obesity, Taxes unfair, What others say: experts
08.10.2010

Healthy Choices

Some key insights from the 2010 OECD Health Ministerial Meeting “ fiscal measures aimed specifically to change behavior are complex to design and enforce; their impact may be unpredictable as t...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, Taxes unfair, What others say: experts, OECD
30.09.2010

Childhood Obesity: An Economic Perspective

Crowle, Jacqueline & Turner, Erin, 2010. Childhood Obesity: An Economic Perspective, Australian Government, Productivity Commission Working Paper, Melbourne 2010 The working paper studies the...

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Government revenue, Ineffective on obesity, Taxes unfair, Australia
23.09.2010

Obesity and the Economics of Prevention. Fit not Fat.

The book examines the scale and characteristics of the obesity epidemic, the respective roles and influence of market forces and governments, and the impact of interventions. Some key insights from...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, Taxes unfair, What others say: experts, Franco Sassi, Market forces, OECD
17.09.2010

The effects of soft drink taxes on child and adolescent consumption

The paper investigates the potential for soft drink taxes to combat rising levels of child and adolescent obesity through a reduction in consumption. The results show that soft drinks taxation lead...

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Government revenue, Ineffective on obesity, What others say: experts, Childhood obesity, David Frisvold, Jason Fletscher, Nathan Tefft
30.06.2010

Obesity Prevention: A Review of the Interactions and Interventions, and some Policy Implications

Amarasinghe, Anura & D’Souza, Gerard, 2010. Obesity Prevention: A Review of the Interactions and Interventions, and some Policy Implications, West Virginia University, Regional Research Institu...

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Taxes unfair, What others say: experts, United States
26.05.2010

Nutritively sweetened beverage consumption and body weight

The study examined whether nutritively sweetened beverages (NSBs) can be linked to the obesity epidemic, and found that current evidence does not demonstrate conclusiely that NSB consumption has un...

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Ineffective on obesity, What others say: experts, BMI, D.B. Allison, J.M. Shikany, K.A. Kaiser, Obesity, R.D. Mattes
06.10.2009

Increase of the Value Added Tax (VAT) on food products: budget and welfare effects for consumers

On January 1st 2007, German VAT was increased from 16% to 19% - the regular 7% tax on food remained untouched, however. Since then, this 7% tax has been subject to many debates, primarily regarding th...

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What others say: experts, What others say: media, Food prices, Household groups, Mehrwertsteuer, Price elasticity, VAT, Germany
31.10.2008

The effects of a ‘fat tax’ on the nutrient intake of French households

Allais, Olivier & Bertail, P. & Nichele, Veronique, 2008. “The Effects of a ‘Fat Tax’ on the Nutrient Intake of French Households”, European Association of Agricultural Economists, 20...

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Ineffective on obesity, Taxes unfair, What others say: experts, Allais, Bertail, Nichele, France
01.07.2008

Report on the pertinence and feasibility of a nutritional tax

The objective of the paper was to assess the costs of medicare associated with the consumption of food products that are high in fat and salt, and the effectiveness of a tax on such products to cha...

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Ineffective consumer behaviour, Taxes unfair, What others say: experts, Consumer behaviour, Marianne Berthod-Wurmser, Medicare, Véronique Hespel
12.07.2007

A ‘fat tax’ could save lives

British researchers from the University of Oxford claim that a tax on unhealthy foods could help save up to 3,200 people per year. A tax on all food products that are fat, sweet or salty could help re...

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What others say: media, Cardiovascular disease, Consumer behaviour, Healthy eating, Germany
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