People are generally more likely to pass on high-calorie food when there is a tax on it — though it might not matter to everyone, a small study suggests.
In a computer-based experiment with 178 U.S. college students, researchers found that the students generally "bought" fewer lunchtime calories when sugary, high-fat fare came with a tax of 25 percent or more.
The exception was when calorie-conscious eaters were given calorie information on their lunch options; the tax did not seem to sway their decisions.
Junk food taxes and greater openness with calorie information have both been advocated as ways to help consumers limit their calories — and, the hope is, keep their weight in the healthy range.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Reuters.
