Fat tax seen as money machine for Danish government

摘要

The implications for the food industry of a fat tax - currently under consideration in several European countries - are becoming abundantly clear.The new fat tax coming into effect in Denmark next year will result in more than half the price of a package ofmargarine falling directly into the government's coffers, while food companies there are worried about large increases in cross-border trade and the possibility of job layoffs. Anew levy of between 13 and 14 boner ($2.37) per kilogram, which was adopted by the Danish Parliament just before the summer break, means that the cost of a package of margarine will rise from about 6 kroner to 7.50 kroner, according to Treasury figures. The Danish publication Borsen reports that this means that a full 57% of the product's initial price will be made up of taxes and fees.