Is it time to introduce a fat tax?

[buttonnose82]

i have to agree with Elli21, generally the whole 'healthy food is more expensive' isn't always true if you look about

Aldi for example do a weekly 'super 6' where 6 different fruit & veg are just 39p, the likes of asda & tesco always have some forms of fruit & veg on sale, the value range often means that they aren't perfect in shape, generally the quality is just the same

when a apple costs the same as a packet of crisps you can't really use that excuse

Like I said before, education is the key here not tax

 

[littleladym]

If they did this would it coinside with cheaper fresh fruit and veg. I am apalled by how much I spend on fresh food each week, and that is just basic stuff like apples, potatoes...heaven forbid if I want to treat myself to grapes or something!

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

hahaha .. just thought .. if they did .. and only made the fat pay it .. that would make for an interesting time at the checkout... "why did u charge me more for this"
Cashier- "cos ure fat? " ....

 

[rubixcyoob.]

It's not fair imo. There isn't just a black and white situation. It's not just 'fat' people who buy sugary stuff and sweets. 'healthy' people can buy these too for a treat, so they are caught up in someone else's 'punishment'.
A girl I know who has diabetes always has to have chocolate or something on hand to keep sugar levels up just in case. Is it fair she should be caught up in this 'punishment' too?

I thought that chocolates and everything already had VAT added too them? And isn't VAT going up anyways?

 

[Abz1982]

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

I second this!

Oh and I are lucky in that our parents taught us how to cook at a young age. My parents are very very good cooks and so I will try anything. OH is a bit more reserved - standard british food etc. But we know how to cook food from scratch.

I know a lot of folk who cant, and a lot of younger girls I know (like 15-20) cant cook as HE at school was useless and their parents didnt have time as both are working and so wouldnt have time to show them. Or would make dinner really quickly as in a rush so again, they never learnt. They say they can cook as they can turn on an oven!! Thats not cooking, thats re heating.

I think the Jamie Oliver (as much as he does my tits in) has the right idea. You have to go straight in and educate the public. Make fresh ingredients more acessable - not exactly cheaper as they are really quite cheap already if you consider the cost to produce and ship them. Sainsburys do reciepie cards I think in store. More places should do that.

Unfortunately, with the countries finances the way they are it will work out better to tax fat people than it will to re-educate them

And I am a fat person

 

[morri]

Rather than putting taxes on food one should educate the people better. also something like the suggested nutrition lights should be introduced. a matrix that shows by the colour how healthy or unhealthy a product is.

 

[lozzy21]

Well that would work fine with me. Im fat but only get chocolate, crisps ect as a treat. Im fat cos i dont exercise, what they going to do for me? Charge me more for the bus even though i still only take up one seat?


Why dont they teach children in school how to cook healthy everyday food from scratch? Shepards pie, spag bol, lasagna, Meat and veg!!!!!!!

The things i made in home ec i would never eat again let along make my self, when will i ever cook piella(sp?) or sweetcorn bilinis with smoked salmon for tea?

 

[Blue_bumpkin]

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.

Agree

They should reduce the price of healthy food as well as introducing this. That'd make more sense.

No point in upping the price of fatty foods if the healthier ones are still pricey too x

 

[special_kala]

Yes they should. Things like junk food, cigerates and booze should be in a higher tax bracket. Obesity, smoking related illness and booze related cost the nhs a really stupid amount so why not tax them more.

Tbh its not hard to cook healthy food cheaply and I don't buy the "I don't know how" you obviosly have the internet and know how to use it so go to google and search healthy recipes. Done.

 

[buttonnose82]

aren't cigarettes and alcohol already taxed at higher rates?

 

[Lillipop]

Cakes, chocolate and some other foods (can't remember which) have all got VAT on them anyway!!

Edit: I forgot to answer the OP lol..
I think they should educate people more in regards to eating healthily and fruit and veg should be cheaper not just wang on more taxes on things! It wouldn't stop me buying them and I'm not fat and eat a balanced diet so why should I be punished as well!!

 

[buttonnose82]

'fresh' food is the only food you DON'T pay tax on

 

[Blah11]

It's not fair imo. There isn't just a black and white situation. It's not just 'fat' people who buy sugary stuff and sweets. 'healthy' people can buy these too for a treat, so they are caught up in someone else's 'punishment'.
A girl I know who has diabetes always has to have chocolate or something on hand to keep sugar levels up just in case. Is it fair she should be caught up in this 'punishment' too?

I thought that chocolates and everything already had VAT added too them? And isn't VAT going up anyways?

Then a small extra amount of tax will make like 1p difference to a bar of chocolate, hardly a huge punishment lol.

 

[Blah11]

I dont care what anyone says, fruit, veg and lean meat and fish is very expensive in supermarkets and not everyone has the luxury of the access to a market (i wish i did ) £1 a chicken breast in tesco and £4 for a punnet of strawberrys if theyre not on offer

 

[ChloesMummy]

Its not just fruit and veg though the price of chicken breasts, ones that are not injected full of water and whatever else, are expensive. Fresh fish fillets or even frozen of a decent quality are expensive unless offers are on. IF they did tax unhealthy foods, it would amount to pennies anyway and I doubt many people would even notice.

 

[buttonnose82]

thats why i only buy strawberries when the british ones are in season as they are alot cheaper

If you buy seasonal fruit and veg you find it tends to be alot cheaper than out of season fruit and veg that they have to get shipped in from all over the world

 

[buttonnose82]

chicken went up in price because the price of corn went up, it has come down a little again though

 

[rubixcyoob.]

It's not fair imo. There isn't just a black and white situation. It's not just 'fat' people who buy sugary stuff and sweets. 'healthy' people can buy these too for a treat, so they are caught up in someone else's 'punishment'.
A girl I know who has diabetes always has to have chocolate or something on hand to keep sugar levels up just in case. Is it fair she should be caught up in this 'punishment' too?

I thought that chocolates and everything already had VAT added too them? And isn't VAT going up anyways?

Then a small extra amount of tax will make like 1p difference to a bar of chocolate, hardly a huge punishment lol.

I know it wouldn't be a huge amount of extra added tax but it's not just 'fat' people who will have to deal with this, which isn't fair imo, people shouldn't be brought into something that isn't supposed to concern them iykwim? I was trying to make that point but it obviously failed

 

[Mindy_mini]

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

See the thing is... its not just about obesity is it. Its about health. I know a few girls who are like sticks but eat shite all the time but if you asked them to run 10k they'd laugh at you.

Health isnt just about a healthy weight. You can be thin but still have health complications brought on by poor diet.

 

[buttonnose82]

thats the problem with this country ...... they see health defined based on a very out of date height/weight ratio chart (BMI), it is flawed to the max

in reality weight is a small part of health, therefore to even call it a 'fat' tax is pretty bad imo