Is it time to tax ultra-processed foods in Europe?

BarcelonaImproving the diets of millions of Europeans would have an unprecedented impact on public health, since an unhealthy diet is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. That is why the European Union wants to regulate it. ultra-processed foodThat is, industrially produced foods that often contain very little raw material but many additives and added substances, in addition to sugars, fats, and salt, among others. Examples include dishes served by fast-food chains, sugary and energy drinks, pastries, potato chips, and chocolates.

Although Europe has not yet defined any regulations, and finalizing them still seems a distant prospect, the European Commissioner for Health, Olivér Várhelyi, has already stated that initiatives to regulate this type of food "need to be considered" and has also urged parliamentary groups to explore ways to influence food choices. The European Commission is evaluating the introduction of fiscal policies, such as creating a European tax to force industries to reformulate some of their products without impacting citizens' finances. The money raised would be allocated to programs promoting health and the consumption of healthy foods.

Another measure under consideration is warnings on food labels. There is a growing chorus of voices pressuring the EU to make front-of-pack nutrition labeling (FOP) mandatory, a system already in place in France, Belgium, and Germany, and which Spain is currently studying. This measure is similar to... Nutri-Score, a labeling system that complements the classic nutrition table And that, since 2017, various countries, including Spain, have progressively adopted it. This is the most widely implemented measure available, although there is still no harmonized FOP in Europe and the EU has yet to decide whether to require the food industry to include it on all products.

Division between countries

The EU is considering this regulation within a highly disparate context, as some countries are more advanced than others in the fight against ultra-processed foods. One reason for this is the considerable division among member states regarding what constitutes ultra-processed food, so the first step the EU may have to take is to clearly define which foods would be subject to regulation. In Spain, for example, a decree already exists that sets limits on the offerings in public dining facilities (such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes, universities, etc.), both in cafeterias and vending machines. As for Catalonia, it has been years since... There is a tax (a pioneering one in the state) on sugary drinksHowever, there are other European countries, such as Denmark, that also have it for other products, such as chocolate or sugared almonds.