Summary
This 2021 policy analysis explores whether meat is underpriced relative to its true social and environmental costs, and proposes optimal taxation frameworks to correct market failures. The paper, authored by economists and food systems researchers, likely synthesises evidence on the externalities of meat production (greenhouse gas emissions, land use, public health impacts) to derive evidence-based tax recommendations. The work bridges agricultural economics, environmental policy, and public health considerations within a single analytical framework.
UK applicability
The findings would be directly relevant to UK policy design, particularly given the nation's commitment to net-zero emissions and ongoing agricultural subsidy reform post-Brexit. However, applicability depends on the paper's assumptions about production systems and consumer behaviour, which may vary between the UK and other jurisdictions examined.
Key measures
Optimal tax rates on meat; internalisation of external costs (environmental, health, economic); price elasticity of demand
Outcomes reported
The study examined optimal taxation levels for meat products, considering environmental, health, and economic externalities. As suggested by the title, the authors analysed whether current meat pricing internalises the full social and environmental costs of production.
Topic tags
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