It's no secret, everyone loves pigs in blankets and we're not ashamed to admit it. To be fair, if it really was a secret, we're all doing an absolutely terrible job of trying to hide it.
Yesterday we announced that Aldi would be selling triple pigs in blankets and... well, here's a representative sample of the response we received, courtesy of one of our readers: "Definitely going to be eating just a whole plate of these." So yeah, they're in demand.
But what if we said that there could be a 79 percent tax added to the price? Personally, I'm of the belief that they'd be worth whatever I was asked to pay, but how do you feel?
According to Huffington Post, researchers from the Nuffield Department of Population Health at Oxford University analysed data to estimate the 'optimal' level of meat tax required to counteract healthcare costs associated with high red meat consumption.
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This data was based on a previous study from the World Health Organisation, which linked regular consumption of red meat such as beef, lamb and pork to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
It's believed that bumping up the price of red meat by 14 percent and processed meat by 79 percent could help prevent around 6,000 deaths each year in the UK, potentially saving the NHS more than £700 million ($920m).
The research has indicated that if the health tax was implemented it could reduce consumption of processed meat by two portions per week.
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Lead researcher, Dr Marco Springmann, told the Huffington Post: "This is having significant impacts not only on personal health, but also on healthcare systems, which are taxpayer-funded in many countries, and on the economy, which is losing its labour force due to ill health and care for family members who fall ill.
"I hope that governments will consider introducing a health levy on red and processed meat as part of a range of measures to make healthy and sustainable decision-making easier for consumers. A health levy would not limit choices, but send a powerful signal to consumers and take pressure off our healthcare systems."
It would, however, clearly limit options for low-income families.
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Taking to social media, one user said: "The laws of economics mean that any tax will cause some people to switch. Problem is that they might switch to something even more unhealthy, especially if they're poor."
Another suggested: "Why not just put a health warning on the packaging? Informs consumers and gives them the choice."
Whatever happens, don't get rid of our pigs in blankets. We beg you.
Featured Image Credit: Aldi