In these countries, the taxes go to pay for health care, if I'm not mistaken. People who have diets rich in saturated fats and that leads to heart disease and strokes. The care for these illnesses is expensive (skilled care, surgery, intensive care, early retirement, disability, etc.). The solutions are relatively easy, so taxes are levied to make these things more visible to the public, and to show where the money's going... I suppose.

Just another side to look at.

Fair comment, and I do agree with what you've said, but it does seem rather predatory. How many foods contain saturated fats? I have a limited diet as it is, just so I can keep my food bill low, and thanks to inflation I'm already finding that harder to achieve. If something like this gets introduced over here, I'm going to be eating more noodles in a week than a University student.

To go along with Doc's thinking, humans won't change anything in their lifestyle unless someone puts it right in front of their nose and then only if they can relate to it as would be the case in heart disease or being overweight. 

There are other factors to consider but what could be the outcome, a longer and healthier life, possibly. 

Another way to put it is to say....If I put it right up front in your face...Like force feeding someone determined to starve themselves. If people want something they're gonna buy it cost or no. Taxing saturated fat may sound good but....where will it go from there? Something to think about. I'm not against regulating it if it promotes good health but might there not be a better way without adding more costs to goods already too expensive.

Perhaps, perhaps not!  The one thing that is sure, people at the lower end of the socio-economic scale will be hurt most by such a tax.

And who's to say they're the ones eating the most saturated fat?   Most people I know at the lower end of the socio-economic scale can't afford dairy products, meats, takeaways dripping with it. For many it's rice, noodles, powdered milk and yesterday's bread.... fortnightly trips to a charity just to make ends meet.

I'm not in that category, thank goodness, but then I'm tight as a duck's arse [read watertight] when it comes to spending on groceries and other essentials like clothing, etc.   A few weeks back I bought clothes for the first time in about 10 years, and when shopping for groceries it's generic brands all the way, unless branded products a marked waaaaay down and represent true value for money.  Anything and everything that's priced too high in my opinion stays in the store... and if I think a store is ripping people off, I let them know in no uncertain terms [many customers too].

So, if our crummy government introduces a fat tax here, I'll just be leaving more and more on the supermarket shelf and finding alternative ways of feeding ourselves.  There's plenty of weekend markets popping up all over the place with all kinds of produce, and we're already leaning that way more and more as the big supermarkets gouge more and more.  The other thing we're starting to do is grow more stuff of our own, in above ground garden beds cos the less I have to bend the better these days

A fat tax in America? Hot-diggety, our deficit troubles are over!

Only we pay it to the insurance companies. 

Oh fear not, we'll get there.    A year or two ago they tried to put a fed vice tax on soda pop.  Not enough income to adequately tax? - tax sales too.

A fat tax on the fat cax. Sounds good huh.

I don't know about that as can't think of any tax on anything that said it was going to our health care. Could vbe wrong I guess but just don't know of any.

As far as I also know when health care goes up to much we do pay for it with increases in our insurance policies without a doubt.

About a year or two ago they added a 10% tax on all Starbucks coffee. Started in their home State and it didn't go to health care. Going to pay $4.00 for a cup of coffee? They know you will spend $4.40 for the same cup.

Soda was mentioned above. Yes they are trying to tax that here also. They give you the stuff about it not being good for you however the tax maone was actually going to the City budget.

So the bottom line is we know what isn't good for us but we eat and drink it anyway. The Gov. States, Cities  use health for a tax reason but knowing they will still have everyone buying this stuff. Yep, it all goes to their budgets. Sad part is the ones that put these taxes in make all the money. In doing so I would guess not as much is sold. In turn that closes things and puts more people out of work. Fine World so lets Tax. Tax, and Tax some more. If we stop eating everything they tell us we shouldn't we can just go on the side of the road and eat the Grass and Weeds. Oh, we can also make sure the only thing we Drink is bottled water. Wait the Plastic may be a problem if the water is in it for 3 years. Drink up fast. Never ends all we can do is live with it.

I think it may be a mistake to look at this from an American POV. There is an entirely different economical/social situation in Denmark. I'm not saying that the tax is a good or bad thing....just that one needs to keep in mind that this kind of thing would probably never work well in the US.

In Norway (and Denmark, I believe) people are not dependent on heavy medical insurance for health care.

Can you say Boston Tea party? Tax on tea. What would be a good analogy? Tax on fat. ________________enter remark here.

I don't expect to see this happen in the US.  I'm pretty sure the people who make a profit on dietary choices that are detrimental to a person's health own too many policy makers in DC to allow this to happen.  Plus the pharmaceutical companies that count on us indulging in our unhealthy habits certainly wouldn't allow it.

As for other countries, I think they're all going to wait to see how it works out for Denmark ("I don't want to try it; YOU try it" "No I don't want to try it, HEY Let's get MIKEY to try it!  HEY MIKEY!")

Well now they went about that all wrong.  They should've taken out all the tables and chairs, cut the cost of espresso to 50 cents a shot, and stood outside with shovels and hammers to hand to the customers on their way out.