Should governments intervene to guide people to choose more healthy food

I found a very interesting debate in The Economist, the topic is about whether the government should play stronger role in guiding food choices.

The proponent, Brownell, gives a creative argument about the necessity of the intervention by appealing to the theory in economy. He states that we cannot let market adapt itself in this case because the costs of consuming unhealthy food are externalities, which are the costs that do not include in the price of the product. He argues that since the consumers are not aware of these externalities, which the society must pay later in term of, for example, health care, global warming ,etc.(paragraph 14,15), the goverment needs to take action to stabilize the market by discouraging people from taking unhealthy food. On the other hand, the opponent, Leech, argues that food and drink manufacturers can contribute to improving public health , for example they can reformulate their product to reduce the content of salt, sugar and fat in their product.(paragraph 30) She contends that this issue is quite complicate, most regulations, if issued from the government party alone, cannot avoid consumer backlash.(paragraph 22) She suggest that this campaign should be a collective action that require many partners, including government and food manufacturers, to work together.

I prefer the argument from Brownell. It give ample reasons for the intervention of the government in term of economical framework which opponents usually raise to argue against the intervention from government. Obesity and global warming problems are major concerns nowadays. This two problems are the hiddent costs of many activities that consumers do not realize. However, in term of real application, the matter of how should the action is still need the great extent of debate. Leech's argument is not persuasive for me. She says that food manufacturers can contribute to improving public health, then why today they still do not reformulate their product in the sake of health concern. Most food manufacturer still proudly produce and advertise junk food. In paragraph 22, she did not give examples of "consumer backlash" or any concrete disadvantages of the policy issued solely by government. Maybe, those problems occurs on the side of food manufacturers only.

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References

Vaitheeswaran, V, Brownell, K. and Leech, M.,(2009, December,8), Economist debates: Food policy: This house believes that governments should take stronger role in guiding food and nutrition choices. The Economist, Retrieved December 10, 2009 from

http://www.economist.com/debate/days/view/427