A tax on palm oil destined for food products could form part of France's Biodiversity Bill, in the name of sustainability.
Having led Europe with a tax on supermarket food waste, the French government has now set its sights on palm oil, which may be taxed in the Biodivertsity Bill that is currently being debated.
Predictably, the so-called 'Nutella tax' has provoked outrage from palm oil producers and processors, who are in competition with France's own vegetable oil producers. The domestic industry has made previous attempts to have palm oil taxed, on the grounds of nutrition and deforestation, but they were defeated.
If nothing else, however, the proposal has sparked a topical debate among French politicians and media. According to the online news agency FoodNavigator, which reported the story, Russia is also considering a palm oil tax, for health reasons.
Published Friday 18 March 2016
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