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Hungary introduces "fat tax" on unhealthy foods
A new bill found it's way onto the political docket in Hungary earlier this week, that if passed would create the world's first "fat tax." The Eastern European country's parliament will now consider the bill, which would raise the price of foods that are deemed as unhealthy. Proceeds from the new law would then be used to cover the rising costs of state-funded health care.When the bill was originally drafted a few months back, it was immediately dubbed as "the hamburger tax," but later the Hungarian government decided that fast food restaurants would not be subject to the new tax. Instead, they've chosen to levy the tariff on items found in grocery and convenience stores that are deemed to have too much salt, sugar, or fat. If the law goes into effect, those items would go up in price by 3.7 eurocents or roughly 5¢. There will also be a 10% increase in the price of liquor and soft drinks as well.
The bill will be debated by the Hungarian Parliament later this summer, but is expected to easily pass into law, making the country the first to actually institute higher fees on unhealthy foods. It is estimated that the law would generate as much as 111 million Euros or approximately $157.6 million. Those funds that are sorely needed to help keep Hungary's cash-strapped health care system afloat.
What are your thoughts on this so-called fat tax? Would you pay a little more for foods you love that might be deemed as unhealthy? Is this any different than the so called "sin tax" on cigarettes or alcohol?
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Food and Drink, Europe, Hungary, News
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 5)
Patrick Jul 15th 2011 8:27AM
This issuse was touched upon in a great satirical comedy from 2009 called "Wobble the weight of the truth" check it out on netflix it was ahead of its time.
billy baker Jul 16th 2011 4:20PM
The taxation of food of any kind is the most evil thing that our governments do to us. The concept is most feudal.
chuck baldwin Jul 16th 2011 4:47PM
I wholeheartdly agree with this idea for the united states. I am and deal with a pretty bad weight issue and I know how it is one of the most difficult things to beat in life. It is a combination of factors but you also face a lot of social discrimination because of it not to mention the horrible teasing as a kid. It was the most miserable time of my life. I do not think this will really solve the problem, especially if you unserstand the internal drives that cause one to eat, especially the junk food which is also designed to appeal to the taste senses and the brain too.
However, I have always felt it was unfair to treat smokers in the manner they have been dealt with and not the obesity issue which costs us a lot of money to deal with health wise just as smoking has done. I work and volunteer in places that draw a lot iof the public and believe me we as a nation are seriously obese. It is amazing the amount of people carrying around so much fat tissue. And I don't mean 10 or 15 pounds but probably 50 or 100 pounds too much. Remember this is someone who has to lose about 75 pounds. If this will help even a bit and help defray the costs of health care related costs OR put toward helping lowering the prices of healthy foods I am all for it.
BUT this doesn't mean it is okay to treat people like garbage either. That is something that is horrible to do and may further a persons depression driven eating. You are not helping the problem. But we need to start somewhere. Make a snickers bar or big mac a ""treat", not a regular part of the diet as they seem to have become in this country. We need to begin turning this around. How about a tax deduction for gym memberships THAT ARE USED (punch cards for proof of use or something- gyms can issue a w-2 like form or something).
ladywiccan Jul 16th 2011 4:51PM
here I thought the nazi's were all dead, guess not
Cian Jul 16th 2011 8:19PM
We on the internet have a rule regarding unproductive and/or deliberately sensationalist comments such as this. It's called Godwin's Law. Look it up.
ITME2 Jul 17th 2011 1:13PM
now that was a stupid comment!
M.A. Korman Jul 17th 2011 2:24AM
At least one sane person has responded intelligently,that would be you.
Has anyone noticed that only people who are obsessed with their looks and food try to tell other people what to eat.
Heavy people mind their own business and do not feel that they have to control other people. That is because we are too busy enjoying our food and lifestyle.
patti Jul 16th 2011 4:55PM
I have lost 55 lbs and feel great. It's taken 3 years. it wasn't easy, 2 steps forward 1 step. But you are right overweight people get an incredible amopunt of abuse. Somehow if your not size 6 (i'm not) then there is something lacking in you. Somewhere along the way it has become acceptable to insult, demean and be rude to someone who is heavy. Sometimes they have no control over theri weight! Idf you substitute any other racial slur in that you'll realize just how horrible you sound!
Leigh Jul 17th 2011 8:44PM
No matter how you look at it, Chips, Sodas, and Candy Bars are all unhealthy treats. Remember waaaaaaay back in like, kindergarten, they taught us about empty calories? I believe those are the foods that they are considering for the tax. Kitchen staples, such as table salt, cooking oil, and granulated sugar, of course, wouldn't be deemed as unhealthy- we need these in our diets, IN MODERATION, to remain healthy. They're not talking about taxing all food, (which they already do, as anyone who has ever gone grocery shopping knows) just the salty, sugary, empty calorie junk food that our mothers told us to avoid anyway.
David Jul 16th 2011 5:00PM
Some foods deemed unhealthy are actually healthy for others. For example, those requiring a low sodium diet,, would have foods high in sodium deemed unhealthy, but those peoploe who require a medically formulated diet that i8s high in sodiumk, this would no become a healthy food. So, some people would need to have foods with certain concentrations of compounds high and others low and in different combinations and concentrations in order to have a healthy balanced diet and that would mean their "fat" tax would have to beased on a case by cases basis - a rather cunbersome and complicatd process. This looks like the tax will be either unfairly applied across the board regardless of actual unhealthyness or not, or it will be applied to everyone regardless of any kind of medically required diet - healthy or unhealthy.
Jeff Jul 16th 2011 9:17PM
Your kidding right? Like any tax is completely fair. You are way over thinking this.
david Jul 16th 2011 5:00PM
Although in theory it's nice to see the government trying to stop people from eating garbage, they have NO business telling us what to eat. That is a fundamental right in this country. I hate seeing a bunch of fat people eating potato chips as much as the next guy, but it's not for the government to determine. This is a very slippery slope. Who are they to determine what is healthy and what isn't. Orange juice has more sugar than a candy bart. So are they going to tax OJ?
Kevin Jul 17th 2011 10:57AM
Ridiculous!!! Just like the "sin tax" on cigarettes and alcohol, it's another way for the people in charge to line their pockets with the hard earned money of the citizens. A great example of government interference and greed.
jmj Jul 16th 2011 8:21PM
It will have about the same effect, too. People will simply go to tax free sources, like they do for tobacco. Through the internet, Indian reservations, or military bases.
JT Jul 16th 2011 11:42PM
The Hungarian government isn't telling people they can't eat certain foods, they are only taxing (a very small amount) those foods that have caused problems in their healthcare system. This extra money offsets the governmental debt from health issues associated with obesity. In otherwords, if you buy the "bad" food, you're actually investing in your own healthcare by paying in advance rather than expecting the government to pay all of you health costs. Those who don't need this type of healthcare most likely won't buy the "bad" foods anyway. In the US, the governement taxes every gallon of gas to maintain the highway and road systems in America. Hungary is doing the same thing with a "bad" foods tax.
hank Jul 16th 2011 5:18PM
their not gonna spend that for medical costs. that goverment will do what the u.s.a does............SQUANDER IT.............
stlboxmaker Jul 16th 2011 5:18PM
This will come to America someday, the only thing that separates us from communist nations that dictate things like this is the few Americans that actually pay attention to what is going on and we are getting smaller in numbers. Our government dictates to us everyday and at the point of a gun robs our pay checks weekly for some over priced program. A fat tax or any other new tax is nothing more than the government local or federal being thieves. It not the obesity they care about it is the revenue.
K.Carl Jul 16th 2011 5:49PM
Rather than taxing the food deemed by the gov't to be causing "fat," we think the PEOPLE who are obese need to be taxed - not the food. Some people who are of a healthy weight and stature should not be penalized by having to pay higher taxes on food they responsibly eat as a treat now and then. Whenever a driver's license is renewed, a person's weight is taken (much like the eye test is done) and tax is assessed on that, which would be put toward health care system. It is the obese people in this society who cause all our health costs to go up -- diabetes, poor circulation, respiratory problems, knee and foot and joint problems, among others. Just think of the strain all these health issues put on our health system. And WHO pays for it all? We do, yes, even those of us who are responsible enough to watch what we eat and stay in shape. I, for one, am tired of these obese people costing me high health care costs.
M.A. Korman Jul 17th 2011 1:41AM
To K. Carl,
I am tired of people like you minding everyone else's business and complaining about their eating which is none of your business.
Why don't you get a life of your own instead of trying to control other people.
Dave Jul 16th 2011 5:36PM
If they can increase the tax on tabacco in an effort to curb smoking or alcohol to curb drinking, then by all means, tax unhealthly foods. I will then laugh loudly when some obese person makes comments about my smoke.