Fight fat with palm oil tax hike: senator

The new proposal will be added to the draft tax law, which has already recommended a five-cent tax rise on a glass of beer, Le Figaro reported.

If the law is passed, products like Nutella would see a six cent rise in price per kilo.

“This tax is aimed at the producers, not the consumers, and aims to reduce the amount of palm oil they use in their products,” said Yves Daudigny, the senator behind the proposal.

The proposal, the first of its kind, would harmonize taxes on oils – currently, olive oil is taxed at  twice the rate of palm oil.

Backers of the amendment hope the tax will push producers to find another oil to use in their products.

If passed, the measure is expected to bring in €40 million a year.