Big Way Of Life

In a bold move aimed at fighting obesity, Denmark has brought in a new tax on foods that contain more than 2.3% saturated fat.

That means Danes now pay an extra 25p for a pack of butter and an extra 8p for a packet of crisps. Milk, oils, meats and pizzas have also become more expensive. The money raised by the tax will be channelled into the fight against obesity.

Denmark is not alone in these measures: Hungary recently imposed a tax on all foods with unhealthy levels of sugar, salt and carbohydrates. Denmark, Switzerland and Austria have already banned trans fats, and Finland and Romania are considering fat taxes.

Here in Britain (where 24.5% of us are obese compared with 10% of Danes), David Cameron hinted that the UK would consider a fat tax. In a round of broadcast interviews at the Tory conference in Manchester he told 5 News:

"I think it is something that we should look at. The problem in the past when people have looked at using the tax system in this way is the impact it can have on people on low incomes.

"But frankly, do we have a problem with the growing level of obesity? Yes. Do we have a kind of warning in terms of, look at America how bad things have got there, about what happens if we don't do anything? Yes, that should be a wake-up call."