Fat Tax
2011 October 6
I read a Time article today that reported Denmark imposing the world’s first “fat tax”. Going into effect last Saturday, the law charges a 16 krone (about $3) tax per kilo of saturated fat on any food that contains more than 2.3%. It is aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.
The fat tax is definitely an innovative attempt to curb unhealthy eating. I wonder how a similar tax would be received in the United States, where the healthy eating movement has been gaining steam. With powerful food industry lobbyists and capitalist backlash, I’d imagine it wouldn’t garner enough political support, but stranger things have happened… It would certainly make things interesting though.
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