Denmark Imposes ‘Fat Tax’

Would you stop eating butter or burgers because they cost more? That’s the dilemma facing consumers in Denmark, which has imposed what’s being called a “fat tax,” The tax is based on the amount of saturated fat in a food product. A government official says the tax will tack on about $0.15 to the price of a burger, and raise the price of a small package of butter by about $0.40. The tax was approved in March by large majority in parliament as a move to help increase the average life expectancy of Danes. Other European countries already have higher fees on sugar, chocolates and soft drinks. But it’s believed Denmark is the first in the world to tax fatty foods.