The first edition of the Nanny State Index, a league table of the best and worst places in the EU to eat, drink and smoke, has named Portugal as one of the best.
The ranking, called the Nanny State Index, looked at how much of an influence European governments have on their citizens' drinking, smoking and eating habits.
“Paternalistic policies typically reduce the individual’s quality of life in one or more of the following ways:
– raising prices prices (through taxation or retail monopolies)
– stigmatising consumers
– restricting choice
– inconveniencing consumers
– limiting information (with advertising bans)
– reducing product quality”
Portugal and Spain were given near level pegging (20 and 21 respectively with 28 being the most free from legislation) due to some of the lowest taxes on beer and spirits in the EU and no duty on wine.
Spain was applauded for having no statutory closing time for bars and no national prohibitions on happy hours.
Portugal’s entry reports that alcohol can be advertised on TV and radio only after 7pm and tobacco only at the point of sale, but there are no bans on display or vending machines.
While the country is gradually moving towards a full ban on smoking in enclosed public places, there remains a relatively relaxed approach.
Furthermore, the report pointed out that a legal limit exists on the amount of salt that can be used in bread.
The results of the freedom survey may come as a surprise. In top place was the Czech Republic, followed by Germany which was hailed for having “the best record of any EU country for resisting nanny state legislation”.
Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovakia followed quickly behind.
The strictest country was Finland which was ranked the worst place in Europe due to its special taxes on sweets, chocolate, ice cream and fizzy drinks, alongside high duties on cigarettes and alcohol.
Sweden was marginally less restrictive, earning it second worst place.
The UK and Ireland were placed as third and fourth most binding for lifestyle regulations. British taxes on cigarettes and wine are the highest in the EU while Sweden imposed the highest duty on spirits, the report found.
