Is it time to introduce a fat tax?

[bluebaby]

I was reading about this in a weight watchers mag and wanted to see what you thought.


As the cost of treating obesity is set to soar from £2 billion a year to nearly £4 billion by 2015, the food standard agency is looking at whether adding VAT to sugary drinks and food high in saturated fat would help to stem the epidemic. And in the US, Obama is considering a sugar tax on fizzy drinks and fruit juices, which are a major contributor to obesity, especially among children. Its been called a fat tax, but is it fair?

 

[suzib76]

no i think it is bang out of order and just another way to extort money from people

lets face it most of the price of a packet of cigarrettes is tax and it hasnt stopped people buying thrm

 

[coccyx]

I think the fizzy drinks should be dearer, but sadly people will still give them to their children

 

[Panda_Ally]

Hmm its has a good point behind it... but the 'poor people' (i hate to generalise) who live off fast food and take aways will become poorer because many (including myself) have never been taught about fresh igredients and cooking.
If they r going to make fatty foods more expensive they need to reduce the cost of fresh food alot and teach people and children from a young age how to cook!!!

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

I think no.. as its not really fair is it ? its not only fat people who like to indulge every so often .. and even if it is only the fat .. its really there choice.. they know what they are doing .. but when they put on so much weight and they then need a gastric band etc ... well thats tough cookies in my opinion...... thats where we should be tougher! (with the obvious exceptions of people who have a genuine disorder?)

 

[suzib76]

but a little bit of everything is not always bad for you, i mean where will this end?
what about healthy gym going people that occasionally like a fizzy drink or a sweetie?

 

[buttonnose82]

education is the way to solve the obesity generation NOT tax ...... what are they going to tax next??? the air we breath maybe

 

[Elli21]

If they put half as much effort into educating people as they do in trying to figure out how to get more money out of us then i think we would all be alot healthier.

What are they planning on taxing us for next i wonder

 

[Blah11]

Yes, I do. I'd happily pay more for fatty food but at the same time, fruit and veg prices in supermarkets are horrendous. I dont think its right that a diet of junk food (which are constantly on special offers) and carbs like pasta, bread and potatoes is so much cheaper than a healthy and varied diet made up of fruit/veg, lean meats and fish.

 

[emilyjade]

1000% agree with panda_ally. BUT i love my fruit if theres any in the house its gone so we spend ridiculous amount on fruit and even when i get it off the market its still so expensive! i think they're just trying to get more money off us

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

In a way yes and in a way no. I think they should reduce the price of fresh food to make it affordable for lower income families
xx

 

[andbabymakes3]

Why does the government think the way to control everything is to increase taxes?? Here's a wacky idea - try bringing Home Ec. back to schools, educating people on how to cook/shop etc, give lower income families vouchers for fruit and veg - just making things more expensive wont change anything.

 

[Nic1107]

If they're going to raise the price of 'crap' food, I don't have an issue with it as long as the tax money is used solely to make healthy food cheaper and more readily available, and to put healthier lunches and better food education programs in the schools. If they use the tax to put new seats in Air Force One or something, then they can shove it.

 

[AppleBlossom]

At first I thought, noooooo!!!! I love junk food but I'm not obese (I'm a size 6) But actually if it cost more maybe I wouldn't be so tempted to buy it and my diet would be a little better lol

 

[Elli21]

Personally i dont think that healthier options are more expensive than "crap" food.

£4 buys me a bag of value apples, a pineapple, a lettuce, pack of tomatoes, a cucumber and some celery. Which is two family salad meals and snacks for 2 days.
Whereas...£4 buys me 2 frozen pizzas. And that does my family of 4 one meal.

 

[Nic1107]

Personally i dont think that healthier options are more expensive than "crap" food.

Depends where you live though. In urban areas of the US, fruit and veg are all imported and exorbitantly expensive, whereas you can pick up a can of Spaghetti-O's for less than the price of a single green pepper, and six packs of ramen noodles for less than the price of a bag of carrots. Kool-Aid is about 20 cents per pack, a 100% fruit juice is more like 4 dollars.

 

[Elli21]

Yeah i see what u mean, i dont even know what kool aid is is it a pop drink??

 

[Nic1107]

Yeah i see what u mean, i dont even know what kool aid is is it a pop drink??

No, worse. It's a packet of "fruit"-flavoured powder than you mix with a pitcher of water and something like a cup and a half of sugar! Everyone I know grew up drinking it, it's so bad but I still like to drink it sometimes.

 

[ChloesMummy]

If they were to tax it, it would only be pennies of a difference so I really dont see it stoping people buying junk food. In theory it would be great if all the money was put towards reducing the cost of healthy foods maybe even low cost community gyms but I doubt it would happen. Tax credits, salaries etc are likely to be raised along with it to keep up with the infation

 

[Blah11]

Its disgusting Koolaid. I bought some off the net just to try it and its vile.