EU wants an extra tax on fat, salt and sugar: taxpayers once again get the short end of the stick?!
The EU wants to tax unhealthy food, and that raises all kinds of questions. In Brussels, they are considering introducing a tax on highly processed foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt. The idea is to encourage healthy eating by making unhealthy food more expensive. But wait a minute: why not make healthy food cheaper? Is this plan really so good and fair, or is it simply a way to extract even more tax from citizens who are already struggling financially?
We believe that the government should not focus on more taxes, but rather on measures that make healthy food cheaper and more appealing. We previously called on the government to: make fruit and vegetables VAT-free! But no, the EU is taking a different approach.
How can this tax contribute to a healthier Europe?
The EU’s reasoning: Brussels is not putting forward this proposal without reason. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the EU, resulting in more than 1.7 million deaths from these conditions every year. There is increasing evidence that high consumption of processed foods is closely linked to obesity, diabetes and other serious health problems. With this tax, the EU hopes to reduce consumption of fat, salt and sugar, which could help prevent these diseases.
Money for health-promoting programs
The Commission also states that the proceeds from this tax would be used for health-promoting programs in the EU. The EU’s idea is simple: increase the cost of unhealthy food so that people are more inclined to make healthier choices. This could help reduce the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases by 20%. Sounds good? Or is this yet another way to increase the tax burden without taking concrete action in other areas?
The reactions: a tax or a revenue model?
Naturally, such a measure is not without controversy. Online reactions to the news about this possible tax are far from mild. Many people are unhappy about the idea of imposing yet another tax while healthy alternatives are not made sufficiently appealing or affordable.
Indyjones rightly points out: “Just wait, this will be arranged in no time, while the promised VAT reduction on fruit and vegetables never happened.”
Femxxx39 continues with the remark: “Taxes on everything, while they solve nothing in The Hague. Make healthy food cheaper at the same time.”
Spiderwoman68 raises the issue: “Everything is punished with higher taxes, while nothing is being done to make healthy products cheaper.”
Encouraging healthy choices
There is clearly a great deal of frustration about the fact that the government is increasingly introducing taxes on unhealthy products, but is not devoting the same attention to making healthy products affordable. The price differences between healthy and unhealthy food have only grown in recent years, making it difficult for many people to make the healthy choice.
Price difference between healthy food and junk food: absurd
The figures are concerning. Over the past ten years, the price of fruit and vegetables has risen by almost 20%! Healthy products such as apples, bell peppers and avocados have become considerably more expensive, while junk food is dirt cheap. A donut, for example, costs just 40 cents, a Mars bar 50 cents, and a pink cake only 23 cents. By contrast, you quickly pay 80 cents for an apple, 75 cents for a bell pepper, and more than 1.29 euros for an avocado (prices as of May 2023). These price differences make it difficult for many people to make healthy choices.
Solution: zero percent VAT on fruit and vegetables
Many see the idea of a tax on unhealthy products as a revenue model for the government, in which the Netherlands’ cash cow (the taxpayer) is milked even further. Healthy food should be made more affordable so that everyone – regardless of income – can choose to eat more healthily. The tax climate surrounding fruit and vegetables has been a topic of discussion for years, but concrete action remains absent. Zero percent VAT on fruit and vegetables could be the solution, but for now that remains a dream.
Healthy Europe: broke Europe?
The possible tax on fat, salt and sugar is a step towards a healthier Europe, but the big question is: why don’t we make healthy food easier to access and cheaper? If we really want people to make healthier choices, the government must lower the tax on healthy products so that healthy food is not more expensive than junk food. The EU can encourage healthy choices, but it should not come at the expense of consumers’ wallets. Agree?
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