Summary
This 2021 policy analysis examines whether current meat prices fail to reflect true social and environmental costs, and proposes optimal taxation frameworks to internalise externalities. As suggested by the title and authorship (which includes economists and health researchers), the paper synthesises evidence on climate, health, animal welfare and resource depletion impacts to derive evidence-based tax recommendations. The work contributes to an emerging literature on fiscal instruments for sustainable food system transition.
UK applicability
Given the UK's carbon targets and recent interest in sustainable food procurement policy, the framework proposed could inform national tax design or subsidy reform. However, UK-specific agricultural and consumption contexts would require separate economic modelling to apply the findings directly.
Key measures
Optimal tax rates; externality costs (environmental, health, welfare); price elasticity of meat demand; distributional impacts
Outcomes reported
The study examined optimal taxation levels for meat to account for environmental, health and other externalities. It likely assessed the welfare and economic effects of meat price adjustments through fiscal policy.
Topic tags
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