Please check the examination details below before entering your candidate information
Candidate surname Other names
Centre Number Candidate Number
Pearson Edexcel
Level 3 GCE
Tuesday 4 June 2019
Morning (Time: 2 hours) Paper Reference 9EC0/03
Economics A
Advanced
Paper 3: Microeconomics and Macroeconomics
You do not need any other materials. Total Marks
Instructions
• Use black ink or ball-point pen.
• centrethe
Fill in boxes at the top of this page with your name,
number and candidate number.
• There are two sections in this question paper.
• InIn Section
Section A, answer all questions 1(a) to 1(c) and one question from 1(d) or 1(e).
• Answer theB,questions
answer all questions 2(a) to 2(c) and one question from 2(d) or 2(e).
• – there may be more space in the spaces provided
than you need.
Information
• The total mark for this paper is 100.
• – usemarks
The for each question are shown in brackets
this as a guide as to how much time to spend on each question.
• Calculators may be used.
Advice
• Read each question carefully before you start to answer it.
• your answers if you have time at the end.
Check
, SECTION A
Read Figure 1 and the following extracts (A, B and C) before answering Question 1.
Answer ALL Questions 1(a) to 1(c), and EITHER Question 1(d) OR 1(e).
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
You are advised to spend 1 hour on this section.
Question 1
Markets for food and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS)
Figure 1: UK market share of potato crisps, 2017
Market share Market share Price
Firm Brand Size
of firm of product (£)
Walkers All Walkers 55.3%
of which:
Regular Standard 35 g 28.1% 0.45
Regular Max 50 g 7.4% 0.63
Sensations 40 g 2.0% 0.59
Doritos 40 g 4.7% 0.45
Other 13.1%
KP KP 50 g 22.7% 0.52
Tayto Golden Wonder 4.2%
<40g 3.1% 0.38
40g+ 1.1% 0.72
Other Other 17.8%
(Source: adapted from https://academic.oup.com/restud/article/3108825/
The-Effects-of-Banning-Advertising-in-Junk-Food 6 April 2017)
, Extract B
Taxing HFSS foods and subsidising healthy eating widens inequality
Since low-income groups spend a higher proportion of their income on food and tend to
eat less healthily, they are the main targets of taxes on products that are high in fat, salt
or sugar (HFSS). Subsidies on healthy food are seen as an alternative policy approach to
encourage healthy eating. While data on the impact of such policies are scarce, a recent 5
study on the distributional impacts of HFSS taxes and healthy food subsidies found that
these actually widened health and fiscal inequalities. The policies tend to be regressive
and favour higher-income consumers. Taxes on unhealthy food increase prices which
have a greater impact on low income groups rather than higher income groups. Lower
income groups prefer to buy HFSS food. 10
Subsidies encouraged all income groups to buy more fruit and vegetables. However,
those on higher incomes proved more responsive and the average share of budget spent
on healthy food actually increased for the higher income groups who were more likely
to buy the subsidised healthy food and then spend the savings they had enjoyed on yet
more healthy food. The diets of the higher income groups before the subsidy tended 15
to be healthier. The choices of the higher income groups are more responsive to price
changes. By contrast, lower income groups, if they responded to lower prices, often
used the money saved to buy unhealthy items or something else entirely. The long-term
benefits of a healthier diet are harder to grasp for consumers when information gaps
exist. Often the immediate boost of a tasty treat is more appealing. Taxes and subsidies 20
do not change that. Other strategies are needed to promote healthy eating, especially
education.
(Source: adapted from Economist 5 October 2017 https://www.economist.
com/news/finance-and-economics/21730033-study-suggests-
lower-income-families-end-up-paying-more-their-food-taxing-fat
and https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3031005
The Economic Journal September 2017 Vol 127 Issue 604)
Extract C
Tax on fatty foods in Denmark is an economic disaster
Denmark introduced a specific tax on saturated fat in October 2011. Recognised as a
world-leading public health policy, it was abandoned just 15 months later having been
both an economic and political disaster.
Indirect taxes of this sort are invariably regressive, disproportionately affecting the 5
elderly and the poor. The specific tax led to prices rising on average 15% for highest-fat
products, yielding a total decrease of 5% in the intake of saturated fat from products such
as minced beef and cream. 80% of Danish consumers did not change their shopping
habits at all. The behavioural change was economically damaging as consumers switched
to cheaper brands and crossed the border to Sweden and Germany to do their shopping. 10
Danish tax revenue fell as a result.
(Source: adapted from https://iea.org.uk/in-the-media/press-release/
evidence-shows-a-fat-tax-would-hit-poorest-the-hardest 25 May 2013 and
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/
effects-of-the-danish-saturated-fat-tax-on-the-demand-for-meat-and-dairy-
products/984CF03634C819D50E66C7B5DC5209DA/core-reader)
4
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller TB001. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.54. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.