The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health will consider the introduction of an excise tax on chips and their ban

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health will consider a proposal to introduce an excise tax on chips, as well as a ban on their sale to minors. Such an instruction to the ministries is stated in the response of the Government of the Russian Federation to the head of the Public Consumer Initiative Oleg Pavlov. The document is at the disposal of Izvestia.

"Please inform the applicant about the results of the substantive consideration of the issues raised," the Cabinet instructed the ministries.

According to the public figure, this measure will have a positive impact on the health of young people.

"I hope that our proposal will find support in the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health. This is a logical and important measure that will primarily have a positive impact on the health of our society, especially young people. Therefore, we hope that the decision will be positive," he explained.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on Oleg Pavlov's appeal to the head of the Cabinet of Ministers Mikhail Mishustin. In it, Obama asks to make chips an excisable product, while prohibiting their sale to minors. In the document, he reports that back in 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended reducing or banning the consumption of foods rich in trans fats, which include chips.

According to the organization, consumption of trans fats leads to the development of coronary heart disease, which causes up to 500,000 premature deaths worldwide every year. And in 2023, Oleg Pavlov notes, WHO put chips at the top of the list of the most harmful products.

In the document, he recalls that the Russian government has already taken measures to combat "harmful" food. Since 2023, sugar-containing beverages have been subject to excise duty. And since October of the same year, the value—added tax rate on hamburgers, sandwiches, cheeseburgers and other similar dishes has increased from 10% to 20%.

A similar motive: in Russia, they propose to introduce an excise tax on chips

Public activists motivate this measure with concern for the health of the population.

On March 21, Maria Chernyaeva, a general practitioner and nutritionist, spoke about the causes of cravings for chips. According to the expert, eating chips is a psychological habit. At the same time, most chips have flavor additives that are addictive.