European nations launch tax attack on unhealthy foods.

butter, soda pop, milk, cheese, pizza, bacon, Danish pastries and luxurious Hungarian dobostorta cake. Hello dry toast and soy pudding. The cynical might suggest that European governments are falling over one another to introduce fat taxes to help offset their staggering debt loads, but governments say they’re rushing to introduce new levies on products high in saturated and trans fats, sugar and salts to reduce the burden of diabetes, cardiovascular and other chronic diseases caused by their populace’s fondness for deep-fried chocolate bars and other treats that might just as well be piled directly upon bathroom scales. Denmark, France and Hungary were among the nations moving over the course of the summer to introduce taxes on foods and beverages whose consumption is believed to pack on the pounds and drive up health care costs. Hungary’s new fat taxes are perhaps the most comprehensive, having been levied on foods with high fat, sugar, salt and caffeine content. The government also increased its tariffs on soda and alcohol. The value of the tax varies by product. For example, the added levy on soft drinks was €0.016 per litre. It was €0.33 per kilogram for prepackaged sweetened products, €0.67 per kilogram for salty snacks and €0.84 per litre for energy drinks. Denmark targeted its attack on saturated fats, unveiling a levy of €2.41 per kilogram of saturated fat used in the production of a particular food. The effect is to levy a heavier tax on higher fat foods, such as hamburgers or butter (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tris/pisa /app/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=get draft&inum=1627030). The tax kicks in when the saturated fat content of a food product tops 2.3%. France soon got in on the act, announcing a new €0.036 per litre tax on sweetened drinks (www.sante.gouv.fr /des -mesures-qui-renforcent-notre-action -de-prevention-et-de-lutte-en-matiere-de -sante-publique.html). Sugar-free soft drinks, water and unsweetened fruit juices escape the levy, which is projected to bolster French coffers by about €150 million. Romania, Finland and most recently the United Kingdom have indicated that they are considering a leap onto the fat tax express but there’s no sign of any manner of European Union-wide levy. Hungary’s premium will garner a projected €170 million which the News CMAJ