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In a major blow to curb junk food consumption, Kerala Government has imposed 14.5% ’fat tax’ on the consumption of junk food items like pizzas and burgers sold through branded restaurants and 5% tax on certain packaged food products.
In LDF led state government’s first State Budget presentation Finance Minister Thomas Isaac implemented additional tax on branded restaurants selling items like tacos, pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, among others.
Two studies done among school children in Kerala point to climbing obesity rates. A 2010 study conducted by VMS Bellary found that among high school students of Thiruvananthapuram’s city corporation, 12% were overweight while 6.3% were obese.
Another 2012 study by the Geneva Global Health Platform found higher prevalence of obesity among children attending private school in villages in Alappuzha district over those going to government school.
Meanwhile, the state government has also made consumption of ready-to-eat chapatis dearer with the introduction of 5% tax on wheat products in packets. Along with this, 5% tax has been imposed on packaged basmati rice and coconut oil. Disposable glasses made out of plastic are set to be taxed at a whopping 20%.
The introduction of fat tax, as a measure to curb the consumption of junk food among people, has been a matter of global debate. Some countries like Denmark and Hungary even implemented it. Denmark, however, scrapped it later.