From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In economics, a demerit good is a good or service whose consumption is considered unhealthy, degrading, or otherwise socially undesirable due to their effects on other persons and/or society at large. It is over-consumed if left to market forces. Examples of demerit goods include tobacco, alcoholic beverages, recreational drugs, gambling, junk food and prostitution. Because of the nature of these goods, governments often levy taxes on these goods (specifically, sin taxes), in some cases regulating or banning consumption or advertisement of these goods.

Types of goods public good - private good - common good - common-pool resource - club good - anti-rival goods rivalrous good and non-excludable good complement good vs. substitute good free good vs. positional good (non-)durable good - intermediate good (producer good) - final good - capital good inferior good - normal good - ordinary good - Giffen good - luxury good - Veblen good - superior good search good - (post-)experience good - merit good - credence good - demerit good - composite good

de:Demeritorisches Gut