Aug 05 2008
French Consider Obesity Tax
In a bid to reduce the number of obese people in France, the French are considering imposing a higher VAT rate on fatty / high sugar foods, according to Le Figaro today (in French). As with many western nations, more and more people are becoming obese due to diets containing a lot of refined foods, the temptation to buy fast & ready made meals and of course not forgetting our more sedentary lifestyles as so many people now work in desk/office jobs.
Despite the French being very proud of their culinary history, they’re not immune to the changing diets and lifestyles of so many modern nations. The rate of obesity isn’t as high as it is in the UK or USA, but I imagine they want to put measures in place before it is and puts a strain on the healthcare system.
Due to the increase in food prices recently it’s unlikely this increased tax will happen overnight, but seems it could be on the agenda for sometime next year!
