The strange story of Denmark's fat tax

Mar 25, 2014, 07:09 PM

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What does it take to get people to change their bad eating habits? Well many argue that the answer is a tax on unhealthy foods - soda or fizzy drinks for instance or foods with a high saturated fat or sugar content. Supporters say it's a no-brainer: If food and drinks that are bad for you cost me more - you'll consume less of them. Opponents argue that taxing food of any kind as a "one size fits all" public health measure is a highly dubious proposition. In 2011, Denmark introduced what was believed to be the world's first fat tax - a surcharge on foods that are high in saturated fat. Just over a year later the tax was abolished. The BBC's Marie Keyworth went to find out why