The Danish tax on saturated fat: why it did not survive
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The Danish tax on saturated fat : why it did not survive. / Vallgårda, Signild; Holm, Lotte; Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård.
In: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 69, 0954-3007/14, 2015, p. 223–226.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Danish tax on saturated fat
T2 - why it did not survive
AU - Vallgårda, Signild
AU - Holm, Lotte
AU - Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård
N1 - advance online publication 29 October 2014
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Health promoters have repeatedly proposed using economic policy tools, taxes and subsidies, as ameans of changing consumer behaviour. As the first country in the world, Denmark introduced a tax on saturated fat in 2011. It wasrepealed in 2012. In this paper, we present arguments and themes involved in the debates surrounding the introduction and therepeal.SUBJECTS/METHODS: An analysis of parliamentary debates, expert reports and media coverage; key informant interviews; and areview of studies about the effects of the tax on consumer behaviour.RESULTS: A tax on saturated fat had been suggested by two expert committees and was introduced with a majority in parliament,as a part of a larger economic reform package. Many actors, including representatives from the food industry and nutritionresearchers, opposed the tax both before and after its introduction, claiming that it harmed the economy and had no positiveinfluence on health, rather the contrary. Few policy actors defended the tax. Public health had a prominent role in the politicians’arguments for introducing the tax but was barely mentioned in the debate about the repeal. Shortly after the repeal of the tax,research was published showing that consumption of saturated fat had declined in Denmark.CONCLUSIONS: The analysis indicates that the Danish tax on fat was introduced mainly to increase public revenue. As the tax hadno strong proponents and many influential adversaries, it was repealed. New research indicates that the tax was effective inchanging consumer behaviour.
AB - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Health promoters have repeatedly proposed using economic policy tools, taxes and subsidies, as ameans of changing consumer behaviour. As the first country in the world, Denmark introduced a tax on saturated fat in 2011. It wasrepealed in 2012. In this paper, we present arguments and themes involved in the debates surrounding the introduction and therepeal.SUBJECTS/METHODS: An analysis of parliamentary debates, expert reports and media coverage; key informant interviews; and areview of studies about the effects of the tax on consumer behaviour.RESULTS: A tax on saturated fat had been suggested by two expert committees and was introduced with a majority in parliament,as a part of a larger economic reform package. Many actors, including representatives from the food industry and nutritionresearchers, opposed the tax both before and after its introduction, claiming that it harmed the economy and had no positiveinfluence on health, rather the contrary. Few policy actors defended the tax. Public health had a prominent role in the politicians’arguments for introducing the tax but was barely mentioned in the debate about the repeal. Shortly after the repeal of the tax,research was published showing that consumption of saturated fat had declined in Denmark.CONCLUSIONS: The analysis indicates that the Danish tax on fat was introduced mainly to increase public revenue. As the tax hadno strong proponents and many influential adversaries, it was repealed. New research indicates that the tax was effective inchanging consumer behaviour.
U2 - 10.1038/ejcn.2014.224
DO - 10.1038/ejcn.2014.224
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 25351647
VL - 69
SP - 223
EP - 226
JO - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
SN - 0954-3007
M1 - 0954-3007/14
ER -
ID: 126106994