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Taxing Food to Improve Health: Economic Evidence and Arguments

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  • Cash, Sean B.
  • Lacanilao, Ryan D.

Abstract

Many observers have suggested that tax policy can be used to change the relative prices of foods in ways that will produce desirable health outcomes. We briefly review the economic evidence regarding such claims, and discuss several conceptual and pragmatic issues surrounding the use of such interventions to achieve public health objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Cash, Sean B. & Lacanilao, Ryan D., 2007. "Taxing Food to Improve Health: Economic Evidence and Arguments," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 36(2), pages 174-182, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:agrerw:v:36:y:2007:i:02:p:174-182_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Gustavsen, Geir Wæhler & Rickertsen, Kyrre, 2013. "Adjusting VAT rates to promote healthier diets in Norway: A censored quantile regression approach," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 88-95.
    2. Joan Gil & Guillem López Casasnovas & Toni Mora, 2013. "Taxation of unhealthy consumption of food and drinks: An updated literature review," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 207(4), pages 119-140, December.
    3. Alberto Gago & Xavier Labandeira & Xiral López Otero, 2014. "A Panorama on Energy Taxes and Green Tax Reforms," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 208(1), pages 145-190, March.
    4. Matthias Staudigel, 2012. "How do obese people afford to be obese? Consumption strategies of Russian households," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 43(6), pages 701-714, November.
    5. Arteaga, Julio Cesar & Flores, Daniel & Luna, Edgar, 2017. "The effect of a soft-drink tax in Mexico: a time series approach," MPRA Paper 80831, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Romana Khan & Kanishka Misra & Vishal Singh, 2016. "Will a Fat Tax Work?," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(1), pages 10-26, January.
    7. Jayson L. Lusk & Christiane Schroeter, 2012. "When Do Fat Taxes Increase Consumer Welfare?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(11), pages 1367-1374, November.
    8. Cash, Sean B. & McAlister, Anna R., 2017. "Young Food Consumers: How do Children Respond to Point-of-Purchase Interventions?," 2017 Allied Social Sciences Association (ASSA) Annual Meeting, January 6-8, 2017, Chicago, Illinois 252700, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Guy E.J. Faulkner & Paul Grootendorst & Van Hai Nguyen & Tatiana Andreyeva & Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos & Chris Auld & Sean B. Cash & John Cawley & Peter Donnelly & Adam Drewnowski & Laurette Dubé & R, 2011. "Economic Instruments for Obesity Prevention: Results of a Scoping Review and Modified Delphi Survey," Monash Economics Working Papers 31-11, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    10. Chen, Xiu & Kaiser, Harry M. & Rickard, Bradley J., 2015. "The impacts of inclusive and exclusive taxes on healthy eating: An experimental study," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 13-24.
    11. Donald L. Alexander & Jon R. Neill, 2017. "Estimating the Corrective Tax for Goods whose Consumption Affects the Consumer’s Health," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 45(1), pages 103-117, March.

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