Projections of how carbon tax will affect commodity prices have been released through the Australian Government Treasury office. In contrast to goods such as electricity and gas, food prices are estimated to increase minimally. According to the Treasury’s new carbon price model, the majority of food product prices will rise. According to the Treasury’s carbon pricing report, the impact of carbon tax on the price milk is estimated to be the equivalent of a 1 cent price rise. Fruit, vegetables,... ...Read more »

The non-profit Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation (AER Foundation) today presented a report to the Australian Government calling for urgent reform of taxes on wine in Australia. The report “Alcohol Taxation Reform – Starting with the Wine Equalisation Tax”, was produced by leading economic consultants the Allen Consulting Group, commissioned by the AER Foundation. The AER Foundation report claims that Federal Government would earn an extra $1.5 billion by applying similar tax... ...Read more »

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) plans to discuss ways of using price to reduce the consumption of fatty foods and sugary soft drinks. The issue has been pencilled in for an FSA board meeting in autumn of this year, a spokesperson for the food safety body confirmed to just-drinks yesterday (10 May). It is thought that forcing up the price of full sugar soft drinks, as well foods high in saturated fat, may help to reduce consumption. One way of doing this could be via value added tax, which currently... ...Read more »

New research by VicHealth (the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation) suggests that three quarters of Victorians support a levy on alcohol and junk food advertising, with proceeds going to replace sponsorship by these industries in community sports. The survey also found that more than four out of five Victorians would like to see and end to alcohol sponsorship of local sports clubs, provided the lost funds are made up. The survey, conducted in November last year, randomly surveyed 1500 Victorians... ...Read more »

Romania is planning to introduce a tax on unhealthy food as early as March as they look to increase the level of funds allocated to their health system. The news comes soon after reports that Taiwan is considering becoming the first country to introduce a tax on junk food. Full details of the tax still need to be developed but, if approved, it is expected to apply to producers of fast-food products, certain snacks and crisps, confectionery and soft drinks. Such ideas have been floated in a number... ...Read more »

The Taiwanese Government is planning to introduce a tax on junk food – a move which would be a world-first, according to reports. Citing the Apple Daily, AFP reported that Taiwan’s Bureau of Health Promotion was drafting a bill to tax unhealthy food and drink such as certain soft drinks and a range of fast-food, confectionery and alcohol products. The revenue raised would then be redirected toward health programs. The scheme could be introduced in 2011, with the bill likely to be debated... ...Read more »

A leading anti-obesity group is calling on the Federal Government to fund a nutritional survey as part of their drive to determine what food items should be taxed. The Obesity Policy Coalition, which includes the Cancer Council Victoria and VicHealth among its members, is pushing for a junk food tax and they claim a new nutritional survey would allow for analysis of the ‘highest risk’ foods and future comparisons. As such, a framework could be developed for a targeted junk food tax. The... ...Read more »