The consumption of meat is not a private question: it costs a general public a lot of money and risks irreversible environmental damage. This is emphasized by the current research of the Thinktank forum for the ecological market economy (Fös).
According to the report, excessive consumption of pigs and beef only in Germany causes annual costs of economic health of about 16 billion euros. In addition, there are environmental costs for meat production in the amount of 21 billion euros per year. The last result of greenhouse gas emissions, which admire the heating of the ears from nitrogen emissions that burden water, floors and ecosystems, or from the unperturbed loss of biodiversity due to the excessive use of toxic pesticides.
“The costs of our diet are enormous,” says the Beat Richter from Fös. She created a study on behalf of the Greenpeace environmental organization. If healthcare expenses in the amount of about 12 billion euros follow from excessive sugar consumption, hidden food costs in Germany are almost as high as the current protective budget of Germany with almost 50 billion euros.
The consumption of too much sugar can lead to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure or caries. Very severe meat diet can also cause diabetes, as well as increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The reason for this is substances contained in meat that can contribute to the processes of inflammation and development of diseases. In beef and pork, these are saturated fatty acids and the so-called gem-yellow, in processed meat these are additives, such as nitrates and nitrites.
Reducing VAT on animal products: “pretty crazy”
According to the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food, which is referred to by the Fös study, the annual consumption of meat per capita in Germany has been slightly reduced in recent years. In 2023, it was 51.6 kilograms. Nevertheless, German food (DGE) recommends only 15.6 kilograms. In addition, for 33.2 kilograms per person, people in Germany are almost twice as much sugar per year, as DGE is recommended.
The consequences of this malnutrition not only burden the German healthcare system. In addition to direct costs incurred for the treatment of nutritional diseases, lowering or early death from colleagues means economic costs for companies and the whole economy. Nevertheless, they also lead to mental stress, whether in the team or in the private environment of the victims, and thus can cause other diseases.
“If these subsequent costs, hidden on the shelves of supermarkets for consumers, were recognizable, consumption and production could become more stable and more economical,” Richter says. One way to create this transparency: the cost of taxes on unhealthy products.
And vice versa, however, tax benefits for healthy, less processed products can also help promote sustainable and healthy nutrition.
Matias Lambrecht, an expert on agriculture in Greenpis, also sees a significant lever in the tax policy of Germany. This is “rather mad”, he says that the federal government spends about 5 billion euros per year to facilitate meat and dairy products using reduced VAT, which even contributes to the problems of the existing power system. This should change.
In addition, advertisers need more rules. According to Lambrecht, advertising places and advertisements should no longer pretend to be a wonderful world, but you will have to clarify the influence of their health and environmental products.
