Denmark to abolish 'fat tax'

Denmark has announced plans to scrap what has been dubbed as the world's first "fat tax", authorities have announced. The tax was introduced in October 2011 and adds 16 kroner ($2.70; £1.50) to every kilogram (2.2lb) of saturated fat in products containing over 2.3 percent saturated fat. 

Though the tax was introduced to lower the intake of fatty foods, one of its immediate consequences was that many Danes started traveling to Germany in order to buy their fatty products. Butter, especially, has become a symbol for the tax, despite the fact that the penalty was designed to deter Danes from consuming fast food and other "unhealthy" products.

The Danish government has decided to eliminate the tax after evidence showed that the price increase was detrimental to the job maket.

Additionally, the authorities have canceled plans to introduce a tax on foods containing high levels of sugar.