Sugar & red meat levies: Health and climate solution or ‘stealth taxes’?

In this bumper episode we have four guests from across Agribusiness Intelligence to discuss what has become one of the most hotly-contested debates in public health policy around the globe – the taxation of food and drink products to change consumer behaviour. Advocates claim taxes will result in decreased consumption of unhealthy foods such as sugary drinks (soda) and red or processed meat, improving public health. Opponents, meanwhile, say such levies restrict consumer choice, unnecessarily raise prices for basic grocery products and are being utilised as a so-called ‘stealth tax’ and a new way to line state coffers.  IEG Policy analysts Joan Murphy and Peter Rixon assess the policy implications, while IEG Vu’s Neil Murray and Max Green look at the market effects.