- Increasing VAT on meat and dairy products while reducing it on fruits and vegetables could save 170,000 lives annually in Europe.
- This change would also reduce Europe’s climate footprint and save billions of euros.
- The study suggests that raising VAT on meat and dairy to the highest existing rate in each country would lead to a significant increase in prices for these products in the UK, Hungary, Belgium, and Poland.
- Denmark, Lithuania, Estonia, and Bulgaria would see no price changes as they already impose full VAT on these products.
- Eliminating VAT on fruits and vegetables would result in the largest price reductions in Denmark, Estonia, and Hungary.
- The UK, Malta, Luxembourg, and Poland would see the smallest price decreases.
- The changes would reduce demand for meat and dairy by an average of 9% and increase demand for fruits and vegetables by 8%.
- The largest decline in meat consumption would occur in the UK, Belgium, and Poland, while the greatest increase in fruit and vegetable sales would be in Denmark and Estonia.
- The 170,000 annual deaths that could be prevented are linked to increased fruit and vegetable consumption, reduced red meat intake, and lower obesity rates.
- The reduction in mortality would primarily be due to fewer cases of heart disease and cancer.
Source: science.ku.dk
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
