Foods high in fats, sugar and salt (HFSS) have a significant impact on public health, the climate and the economy, but could taxing these products help in the fight against climate change?
More and more countries are taxing tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks as a public health tool. By reducing consumption of unhealthy products, health taxes are one of the most cost-effective measures to prevent diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. Plus, they raise governmen... Read more
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Unhealthy foods have a very high carbon footprint. Therefore, taxing them can help reduce carbon emissions, which can be great for the environment.
An unhealthy food tax can encourage manufacturers to shun junk food in favour of healthy food products.
Many countries in the world have versions of unhealthy food taxes.
Check this out: Colombia has introduced a junk food tax that will reach 20% in 2025.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/10/colombia-junk-food-tax-improve-health-acc
Taxing unhealthy foods can be an effective strategy for tackling obesity, especially among kids.