Denmark introduced a fat tax in October 2011. Thirteen months later in November 2012, the fat tax was repealed and further plans to introduce a sugar tax were scrapped. The tax was deemed ineffective as Danes would simply cross the border into neighbouring Germany to purchase food. The tax was also very complicated, burdensome to both businesses that had to re-calibrate their register system for thousands of different products and tax levels, and importers of food products where detailed ingredient information and analysis was needed. Tax authorities also found the tax extremely difficult to enforce.
The Denmark Chamber of Commerce was one of the leading voices opposing the introduction of the Danish “fat tax” and a strong proponent for its repeal.
Klarskov is in Canada until Feb. 22, 2013.