Price and health policy in Sweden--a critical review

Price policies for alcoholic beverages have been used as a means of implementing health policy in Sweden since the mid 1950s. The importance of using price policy for other commodities like tobacco and food has occasionally been suggested, but so far never implemented. Actually, during the last two decades, the prices of tobacco and certain foods in Sweden have supported unhealthy behaviour. Consumer prices have increased more than average for healthy products like fish, and less than average for tobacco. This article critically reviews the development of price policy as a means of implementing health policy in Sweden. What has happened? What has not happened? Why? What are the potential effects of price policy? What about future prospects and possible consequences of Swedish integration into European Economic Community? For example, a harmonisation of taxes would entail a significant fall of Swedish alcohol prices of about 50%. This would probably lead to a 25% increase in alcohol consumption accompanied by an increased prevalence of alcohol-related problems in Sweden.