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 journalJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Vallgårda, S, Holm, L & Jensen, JD 2015, 'The Danish tax on saturated fat: why it did not survive', European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 69, 0954-3007/14, pp. 223–226. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.224

APA

Vallgårda, S., Holm, L., & Jensen, J. D. (2015). The Danish tax on saturated fat: why it did not survive. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69, 223–226. [0954-3007/14]. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.224

Vancouver

Vallgårda S, Holm L, Jensen JD. The Danish tax on saturated fat: why it did not survive. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015;69:223–226. 0954-3007/14. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.224

Author

Vallgårda, Signild ; Holm, Lotte ; Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård. / The Danish tax on saturated fat : why it did not survive. In: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015 ; Vol. 69. pp. 223–226.

Bibtex

@article{b533c6aaba16493db12b149ce03cbdd9,
title = "The Danish tax on saturated fat: why it did not survive",
abstract = "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{\textquoteright}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.",
author = "Signild Vallg{\aa}rda and Lotte Holm and Jensen, {J{\o}rgen Dejg{\aa}rd}",
note = "advance online publication 29 October 2014",
year = "2015",
doi = "10.1038/ejcn.2014.224",
language = "English",
volume = "69",
pages = "223–226",
journal = "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition",
issn = "0954-3007",
publisher = "nature publishing group",

}

RIS

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