Calorie labelling plan is not wholly objectionable but it is economically inefficient

27 July 2020
Lifestyle Economics

Calorie labelling plan is not wholly objectionable but it is economically inefficient

Christopher Snowdon writes for City A.M.

In an article for City AM, IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics Christopher Snowdon argues that while many of Boris Johnson's new anti-obesity measures- such as banning food advertising- are unacceptable intrusions, not all are measures are wholly objectionable. He writes: "Most packaged food in Britain is labelled with calorie information as a result of a ... Continue reading
27 July 2020
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How the NHS religion is turning us against each other

Kristian Niemietz
10 February 2020
Healthcare

How the NHS religion is turning us against each other

On the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the NHS, I took part in an episode of BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze show. I expected it to be quite confrontational, but it ended up being more of talking past each other than anything. I argued that the NHS was not a particularly good healthcare system, ... Continue reading
Kristian Niemietz
10 February 2020
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How government regulation exacerbates ethnic pay gaps

Len Shackleton
4 March 2019
Economic Theory

How government regulation exacerbates ethnic pay gaps

Last week I blogged about the way in which regulation may exacerbate pay gaps between different ethnic groups, using the example of taxi regulation in London. Another example is regulation of restaurants and (especially) takeaway outlets. A glance at any high street will suggest that some minority ethnic groups (especially those of Bangladeshi and Chinese ... Continue reading
Len Shackleton
4 March 2019
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Will 2019 be the year we halt the march of the Nanny State? I won’t hold my breath

Kate Andrews
7 January 2019
Lifestyle Economics

Will 2019 be the year we halt the march of the Nanny State? I won’t hold my breath

The morning I turned eight, I woke up and told my father that I was “halfway there”. This, in my home state of Connecticut, was in reference to getting my driving licence, a process I could start on my sixteenth birthday. As a kid, this was the milestone that I was most excited to reach, ... Continue reading
Kate Andrews
7 January 2019
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Energy drinks – yet again, the government is jumping on the ‘banned’ wagon

Kate Andrews
31 August 2018
Lifestyle Economics

Energy drinks – yet again, the government is jumping on the ‘banned’ wagon

I don’t remember the last time I saw a six-year-old queuing for a cappuccino in Pret. Nor have I ever noticed one standing in line, with their own cash, paying for their fizzy drink of choice over the counter at corner shop. That’s because realistically these instances cannot happen without the assistance of an adult, ... Continue reading
Kate Andrews
31 August 2018
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State paternalism rests on shaky philosophical foundations

Rowan Wright
28 August 2018
Lifestyle Economics

State paternalism rests on shaky philosophical foundations

Our country is plagued with state paternalism, and it’s only getting worse. From the sugar tax and its potential expansion to milkshakes, to the recent study published by University of Bath researchers calling for a steep increase in tobacco duty, public health campaigners love to justify intrusive, coercive strategies on the grounds that they make ... Continue reading
Rowan Wright
28 August 2018
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WHO proposals for new taxes on food and drinks would cost a typical UK household up to £458 per year

Chris Snowdon
17 May 2018
Lifestyle Economics

WHO proposals for new taxes on food and drinks would cost a typical UK household up to £458 per year

After a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages was introduced in Britain last month, campaigners wasted no time in calling for it to be extended to milkshakes, coffee and all food products that contain added sugar. The World Health Organization recommends that sugary drinks be taxed at 20%, claiming that this “can lead to a reduction in ... Continue reading
Chris Snowdon
17 May 2018
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Keep the nanny state out of our schools

Kate Andrews
8 May 2018
Lifestyle Economics

Keep the nanny state out of our schools

It may no longer be just parents and children that face “naming and shaming” when it comes to childhood obesity. Schools themselves could be added to the list, as part of the government’s wider strategy to tackle obesity. According to The Times, “schools across England could be required to weigh and measure their pupils every ... Continue reading
Kate Andrews
8 May 2018
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Colour me surprised: effects of Sugar Tax exactly as predicted

Christopher Snowdon
17 January 2018
Lifestyle Economics

Colour me surprised: effects of Sugar Tax exactly as predicted

Coca-Cola’s decision to shrink its bottles and raise its prices has raised eyebrows, but the economics of it are straightforward. In 2016, George Osborne announced the sugar levy of 24p a litre for drinks that contain more than 8 grams of added sugar per 100ml. At the time, Osborne disingenuously claimed that this was a tax ... Continue reading
Christopher Snowdon
17 January 2018
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Plain packaging in Australia, 5 years on: We told you so

Christopher Snowdon
1 December 2017
Lifestyle Economics

Plain packaging in Australia, 5 years on: We told you so

Today is the fifth anniversary of the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco in Australia. Don’t expect much in the way of celebrations. In the first twelve months of the branding ban, the number of cigarettes sold in Australia rose for the first time in years and smoking rates proceeded to flatline for the next ... Continue reading
Christopher Snowdon
1 December 2017
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