- Slovakia is one of the countries in Europe that discourages residents from buying health-damaging goods the least, and has even improved in the ranking.
- The number of countries that have imposed a tax on sugary drinks has more than doubled in five years.
The trend to motivate citizens to a healthy lifestyle with new taxes and regulation is bypassing Slovakia for now. In Europe, it is among the countries that restrict consumers the least when buying alcohol or sweets, according to the so-called foster state index compiled by an international association of right-wing think tanks.
The index evaluates policies that discourage consumers from buying four types of goods: alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes and food. The measures can be different, from small inconveniences such as limiting advertising or shortening opening hours to draconian taxes or a complete ban on sales. Analysts assigned them points according to how strong their direct impact on the consumer is, the maximum number is 100.
Of the 30 evaluated European countries, Slovakia is one of the most benevolent in the regulation of citizens’ lifestyles, the Chart of the Day shows. It has the smallest value of the foster state index