Summary
This paper, authored by a multidisciplinary team including economists and a leading food-systems researcher, examines whether current meat prices fail to reflect true social and environmental costs, and explores optimal taxation frameworks to correct this market failure. The analysis integrates evidence on health externalities (particularly from red and processed meat), greenhouse gas emissions, land-use impacts, and animal welfare considerations. As a policy-oriented contribution from 2021, it presents a case for corrective fiscal instruments whilst acknowledging distributional and implementation challenges.
UK applicability
The framework is directly relevant to UK policy discussions around meat pricing and carbon taxation, particularly given concurrent debates on environmental levies and public health nutrition policy. However, applicability depends on UK-specific data for externality valuation and consumer behavioural responses.
Key measures
Optimal tax rates; externality valuations (health, environmental, resource costs); consumption and welfare impacts as suggested by modelling
Outcomes reported
The study examined optimal taxation approaches for meat products, considering externalities related to health, environment, and resource use. It evaluated how pricing mechanisms could address market failures in meat consumption and production.
Topic tags
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