The European Union announces its war on harmful food with a new food sanctions plan!
The European Commission is preparing to propose a new law that could lead to higher prices for unhealthy and highly processed foods in EU countries over the next year, aiming to reduce their consumption and promote healthy eating patterns.
According to an internal draft, the plan includes imposing special fees on products that contain high levels of sugar, fats, and salt, as well as mixed alcoholic beverages known as "alcopops". The document is expected to be officially presented in mid-December, focusing on changing consumer behavior without creating a significant financial burden.
The draft indicates that imposing a "small tax at the EU level" could generally maintain price stability while encouraging healthy food choices. It will also push producing companies to modify their product recipes to become more nutritionally beneficial. All revenues from this tax will be exclusively allocated to health promotion programs within the EU.
The Commission confirms that cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death within the Union, with over 1.7 million deaths annually and economic costs exceeding 280 billion euros. Multiple studies also link high consumption of ultra-processed foods to obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders.
This decision is part of a broader health plan that includes updating tobacco control laws by 2027, as well as launching a unified nutritional assessment system across Europe for processed foods. The plan aims to reduce deaths from heart diseases by 20% by 2035.