Measuring the trade-off between greenhouse gas emissions and nutrition due to carbon consumption taxes in the UK

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with food consumption is a particularly important issue given the recent concerns regarding climate change and diet. This paper modelled the effects of ad-valorem and carbon consumption taxes on different food products and found that taxing high carbon food products will likely result in a decrease in carbon emissions and intake of less beneficial nutrients (such as saturated fats and sugars). However, the taxes will also likely result in small reductions of beneficial nutrients which are currently under consumed in the UK. This may cause concern to policymakers and suggests the importance of monitoring nutrient intakes with regards to a potential introduction of carbon taxes.