This IEA publication deals head-on with a number of widely quoted myths about the market economy. In the case of the philosophical myths, such as the idea that economists believe that everybody is greedy, the author, Christopher Snowdon, carefully and entertainingly unpicks the misguided ideas...

The rise in obesity in recent decades is popularly believed to be the result of increased consumption of calories in general and sugar in particular.Campaigners have called for product reformulation, fat taxes and other anti-market policies to reduce calorie consumption at the population...

It is often asserted that supporters of a market economy believe that ‘greed is good’. This is simply not true. Economists know that people are capable of a range of thoughts, feelings, motivations and emotions and a market economy works regardless of whether people are selfish or...

It is widely believed that income inequality in the UK is rising and will spiral out of control unless action is taken by government. This briefing paper looks at income inequality data from the Office for National Statistics.The paper shows that there was a rise in inequality in the 1980s, but...

New research debunks the myths associated with extended opening hours.Summary:Introduced in 2005, the Licensing Act allowed more flexibility in pub, bar and nightclub opening times and allowed for the possibility of ’24 hour drinking’.It was widely predicted that the relaxation of licensing...

Drinkers subsidise non-drinkers by £6.5bn each yearThis study estimates the direct costs of alcohol use to the government in England, including the NHS, police, criminal justice system and welfare system. Taken together, they amount to a gross cost of £3.9 billion per annum (in 2015...

The British population is getting older. In 1948, life expectancy was 68. Thanks to healthier lifestyles and medical advances, it is now 81 and is expected to rise to 87 by the end of the next decade. The rapid growth of the elderly population will put a strain on healthcare, social care and...

The UK and Sweden have the lowest smoking rates in the European Union as a result of consumers switching from cigarettes to low risk nicotine products. Public Health England and other health organisations have concluded that the health risks of vaping are unlikely to exceed 5% of the risks of...

Eating sugary food, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes are legal activities. But politicians still use the law to discourage them. They raise their price, prohibit or limit their advertisement, restrict where they can be sold and consumed, and sometimes ban them outright. These politicians...

Several local authorities in Britain have introduced ‘zoning laws’ to restrict fast food outlets within a certain distance of schools. Public Health England, the British Medical Association and the Mayor of London have all endorsed this policy as a way of tackling childhood obesity. Standard...