Nearly half of the French population is overweight or obese, an unflattering rebuttal to the national reputation of responsible indulgence in a toothsome cuisine, says the Telegraph. Intending to slow the collective weight gain, the Treasury suggested two options – a new tax or an increase on the current VAT (value-added tax) of 5.5 percent on junk food to a rate as high as 20 percent.
France already collects a soda tax on carbonated and sugar-sweetened beverages. The Treasury wants a “significant” tax on junk food, “arguing that a small price increase would not be an effective deterrent,” says the Telegraph. The estimated 47 percent of the population that is overweight or obese accounts for the majority of health-care spending, says the Treasury, pegging the costs at 56 percent of out-patient costs “and probably more in hospitals.”
In addition, the ministry suggested a public education campaign to highlight the risks of unhealthy eating and a restriction on junk food ads aimed at children. In another step, the Treasury recommended a ban on candy dispensers on school grounds.
The number of overweight people in France is climbing at an annual rate of 4 percent, said EurActiv. Obesity ranks second to alcohol as the most expensive public health issue, measured in health care costs and lost productivity, it said. Critics say a food tax would hurt lower-income families, who spend a large fraction of their money on food.