October 7/Copenhagen/The New American -- The government of Denmark has decided that some food choices made by Danes are bad for their health and, consequently, fair game in the socialist-leaning nation. On October 1, the average price of a half-pound of butter rose by the equivalent of $.45, and the average price of a pound of cheese increased by $.50. Lard went up $.70 per half pound. In fact, almost any spread for bread jumped in October because of the new “fat tax” imposed by the Danish government, which specifically targets saturated fats from animals, such as butter, cream, and meat.
Though the object of the tax is to improve the health of Danes, it is highly unpopular among the Danes, and many see few, if any, health benefits. Tor Christensen, chief consultant for the Danish Ministry of Taxation, explained the thinking behind this new tax, which passed parliament with almost 90% of the votes: At the political level there was a high degree of consensus for this law. There was wide agreement about trying to improve the average Danish lifespan, about trying to improve the health of the Danish people.