Nutella, a delicious chocolate-hazelnut spread could be taxed in France due to a palm oil tax that could occur. Nutella is not just popular in France but all over the world as a breakfast to be spread on toast, or an anytime of day sweet treat.
The Huffington Post reported that the bill has been approved by a French Senate commission and if passed the tax on palm oil would go up by 300 percent. The people behind the bill are arguing that palm oil is a threat to public health because of its high levels of saturated fat. Nutella, with 20 percent of palm oil in it, would be forced to increase prices due to the tax. The Huffington Post reported that the price would go up "about 0.06 Euros per kilo, which translates to about three-and-a-third cents a pound."
Reuters reported that Nutella says they will not change their recipe even if the bill is passed. Frederic Thil, who is French director of Ferrero which is the Italian company that makes the spread, said in Le Parisien Daily, "The arguments are unfair and the repercussions would be catastrophic."
Reuters reported its main ingredients to be "sugar, milk powder, hazelnuts, cocoa, emulsifier, flavoring and palm oil."
The other argument behind the tax increase is that the production methods of palm oil have destructed forests in places like Malaysia which is an exporter of Palm Oil. However The Guardian reported that the Malaysian Palm Oil Council has fought back against the ban. They said, On Monday, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council hit back at French claims that palm oil, a key ingredient in Nutella and widely used in margarine, biscuits and crisps, was detrimental to the environment and fuelling obesity. "Malaysia is deeply concerned with French Senator Yves Daudigny's proposed 300% tax increase on palm oil ... Palm oil is a healthy, natural and important product, which 240,000 small farmers in Malaysia are proud to produce."
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