Reader's Opinion | Taxation can be used to guide healthy food choices

We want takes a position on the recent debate on food taxation. For example Pekka Puska brought up the nuisance tax in his writing (HS Opinion 5.1.).

The idea of ​​health-based taxation, or harm tax, is to set higher taxation on those foods and drinks that contain the most salt, hard fat and sugar found to be harmful to health in their product group. Health-based taxation should not be forgotten among the artificial choices of economic policy.

As a social measure, health-based taxation is effective because, based on research, it reduces the sale and consumption of, for example, soft drinks. It also encourages industry to develop products that are not subject to higher taxation and increases the range of healthy products.

Healthy choices should be possible for everyone. Although the nutrition of the population has improved in recent decades, people still consume too much sugar, salt and saturated fat. For example, the treatment of type 2 diabetes cost healthcare 2.5 billion euros in 2017. In addition, so-called energy drinks – with or without sugar – are harmful to people under the age of 18, which is why a ban on their sale is being prepared in many countries.

Changing the eating habits of citizens requires a wide range of actions. Price is a key factor affecting consumer behavior. Instead of raising the value added tax on all foodstuffs, a nuisance tax should be established for foodstuffs and beverages that are harmful to health. Social measures, such as health-based taxation, can guide citizens to healthy food choices. Healthy food choices are often also environmentally sustainable.

Heli Kuusipalo

leading expert

Päivi Mäki

development manager

Department of Health and Welfare

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