The potential role of taxes and subsidies on food in the prevention of obesity in Europe

Abstract

Objective: To explore the opinions of stakeholders on the potential of taxes or subsidies, as measures for tackling obesity in Europe.Design: Structured interviews using Multi-criteria Mapping, a computer based decision support tool. Subjects/Setting: 189 interviewees, drawn from 21 different stakeholder categories in institutionally matched groups across nine members of the EU.Measurements: A four step approach was taken, i.e. selecting options, defining criteria, scoring options quantitatively and weighting the criteria to provide overall rankings of options.Interviews were recorded and transcribed to yield qualitative data.Results: Taxation and subsidies were not favourably received, because they were considered difficult to implement. However, representatives of large commercial retail chains and public health professionals were most in favour of taxation, whilst representatives of public sector catering and nutritional/obesity advisory experts gave the most positive ratings to subsidies, and the trade unions rated both options more favourably than other stakeholder groups. In contrast, both options received their lowest scores from representatives of the farming industry, town and transport planners, the food processing industry and the advertising industry. Public health professionals were the stakeholders most frequently gaving the highest scores (3/9 countries), both for taxation (Italy, Spain and France) and for subsidies (Spain, France and Poland). Finland produced the greatest number of interviewees rating both fiscal options favourably. Conclusions:A decision to apply economic measures such as taxes/subsidies in the EU represents one possibly viable course of action, as part of an integrated and coherent public policy aimed at combating obesity.4

Public acceptability of government intervention to change health-related behaviours: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

“…For example, warning labels and educational campaigns were consistently more likely to be supported than policies introducing disincentives designed to influence behaviour such as tax based incentives to discourage smoking or excessive alcohol consumption. This finding was evident across behavioural domains [5,9,10,12,18,19,21-26]. Respondents were also more likely to support intrusive measures aimed at commercial businesses than interventions aimed at individuals [5].…”

“…Seven out of ten studies comparing responses across countries showed substantial differences in support for policies to change behaviour between countries, with differences apparent in studies using a range of methods [5,10,12,13,70,90,104]. Support for restrictive policies in the areas of smoking and diet was generally higher in more authoritarian countries than liberal democracies with, for example, 88% support in China for partially restrictive interventions or those making the behaviour more expensive, compared to 46% in the USA [5].…”

Systemic policies towards a healthier and more responsible food system

“…However, a liberal society can hold agents responsible for their own actions. Based on a systemic perspective on consumption and production, we delineate three generic policy routes with different specific avenues (see table 1)3 10 11 and argue which combination of measures is most promising.…”

Fiscal food policy: Equity and practice

“…Implicated in this increase is the cost of food, with research suggesting that price is a decisive factor in food purchasing. 1 With energy-dense foods being less expensive than healthier foods, 2 low-income groups in particular may be driven towards unhealthier foods.…”