- The UK is now the 7th worst place in Europe to eat, drink, smoke and vape, up from 11th place in the 2023 edition of the Nanny State Index.
- Freedom in the UK has decreased at a faster rate than almost anywhere else in Europe over the past two years.
- Germany, Luxembourg and several southern European nations remain the most liberal environments for consumers, while Turkey, Lithuania and Finland continue to top the table for state paternalism.
The UK has re-entered the top 10 of the Nanny State Index 2025, published today by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the European Policy Information Centre (EPICENTER). Edited by Dr Christopher Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics, it gives 29 European countries a score out of 100 according to how it regulates lifestyle choices.
The sixth edition of the Index reveals that the UK has made a significant leap in nanny state intervention, driven by high taxes, growing restrictions on food and drink advertising, and draconian anti-smoking policies. The UK now ranks seventh overall, making it one of the most heavy-handed regulators in Europe.
Various heavy-handed measures have pushed the UK toward the top end of the Nanny State Index, especially on food and tobacco:
- Very high tobacco duty – the UK has the second highest taxes on cigarettes when adjusted for income
- Tax on sugary drinks
- Punitive alcohol duty – the UK has the fourth highest taxes on alcohol when adjusted for income
- Indoor smoking ban – including in all pubs and restaurants, and inside vehicles with children
- Plain packaging and a retail display ban for tobacco products
- New restrictions on product placement for ‘less healthy’ foods
- Minimum unit alcohol pricing (Scotland and Wales)
Britain is set to climb even higher when the next index is published in 2027, as new policies such as a ban on disposable e-cigarettes, a generational tobacco sales ban, a new tax on vapes and an unprecedented ban on “less healthy” food advertising, come into force.
Despite ever-increasing restrictions, the report finds that there is no correlation between stricter regulation and better health outcomes like life expectancy, lower smoking rates, or reduced alcohol consumption. A higher score on the Nanny State Index does not correlate with higher life expectancy.
The report is a stark reminder that nanny state policies are not only ineffective, but are often regressive, raising living costs, fuelling black markets, and disproportionately harming low-income households.
“The UK is sinking ever deeper into the quicksand of heavy-handed government paternalism," said Dr Snowden. "The idea that adults should be free to choose is fading away and there will be politicians who see the UK’s position on the Nanny State Index as a badge of pride rather than a mark of shame. As in other areas of the economy, high taxes and draconian regulation are impoverishing us all and benefiting nobody.”
