[arista]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_1...-10391704.html



This is now Taxed


http://www.channel4.com/news/denmark...at-tax-on-food

Will the UK Follow (excluding Scotland)





Sign Of The Times

[MTVN]

Not a bad idea, if you tax things like cigarettes and alcohol then why not really unhealthy foods too

[arista]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Not a bad idea, if you tax things like cigarettes and alcohol then why not really unhealthy foods too

But McD does a pound menu
they won't want to
add tax on there products.

[MTVN]

Well I'm sure Marlboro don't want to add tax onto their cigarettes either

[Niamh.]

I see what they're trying to do but talk about nanny state. There's no such thing as free will anymore

[Chuck]

I'm not sure if I'm in favour of adding tax on booze, fags or unhealthy food because I just think if people want to be unhealthy, it's their choice. But I guess their choices often cost a lot to the government, NHS etc and the whole society ends up paying for the treatment for some individuals.

I understand it but I'm never the one in favour of the government interfering with people's life choices.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by chuck.pass

I'm not sure if I'm in favour of adding tax on booze, fags or unhealthy food because I just think if people want to be unhealthy, it's their choice. But I guess their choices often cost a lot to the government, NHS etc and the whole society ends up paying for the treatment for some individuals.

I understand it but I'm never the one in favour of the government interfering with people's life choices.

Nah me neither but I think that if you are going to tax things like Cigarettes and Alcohol then it's not much further to tax unhealthy food too

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Nah me neither but I think that if you are going to tax things like Cigarettes and Alcohol then it's not much further to tax unhealthy food too

Yes, I agree with you. But I'm not sure if I think any of those things should have an extra tax in the first place.

[Grimnir]

if they tax cigs and alcohol, they should tax fatty foods too

but better solution would be to just not produce cigs, alcohol or fatty foods in the first place

[arista]

Originally Posted by Grimnir

if they tax cigs and alcohol, they should tax fatty foods too

but better solution would be to just not produce cigs, alcohol or fatty foods in the first place

No this is Fat Food Tax Only
and so far only in Denmark.

[Harry!]

Some ''low fat'' foods are often high in sugar. What we need is more people taking responsibility with their lives or banning the stock. Campaigns do NOT work. Smoking and Drink are big buisness for buisness so govt. make loads of tax from them.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Harry!

Some ''low fat'' foods are often high in sugar. What we need is more people taking responsibility with their lives or banning the stock. Campaigns do NOT work. Smoking and Drink are big buisness for buisness so govt. make loads of tax from them.

In Denmark they will.
The First Nation to do the Fat Food Tax

[Harry!]

Originally Posted by arista

In Denmark they will.
The First Nation to do the Fat Food Tax

No they are not quite, it is the GOVERNMENT who are taking responsibility not every day people. The reason why so many children are obese can be blamed to poor parenting.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Harry!

No they are not quite, it is the GOVERNMENT who are taking responsibility not every day people. The reason why so many children are obese can be blamed to poor parenting.

Yes Well Done Denmark.

[Cromwell1900]

I know the UK Government has for years ran campaigns and adverts, but that just misses the point that people who over eat are week willed and will not listen to reason, i am a Smoker and i know how week willed i am in trying to give it up.

No Campaigns will work. So what should they do run campaigns forever and hope know one notices there going backwards or be Brave like Denmark?..... apparently! and take away the free will to screw there body up. Free will is great but if your going to use it to throw yourself under a bus even though you have a reasonably happy life otherwise then it's not doing you any good at all.

Also the Parents that CAN stop there kids and themselves from eating too much, DO and those that can not, DONT. Enter stage right The Government.
Lets have a few less Puddings on the bargain shelves at Tesco's and a bit more proper grub, the kind that tastes good without a chemical soak.

Cost more? Yes, Who's going to pay for it? This guy below. the Boss of Tesco's Mr Terry Leahy







he looks like the kind of smug drip that might have the odd 3.4 billion a year to soften a blow or two. I rang him up and he says it's ok!

[Photon]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I see what they're trying to do but talk about nanny state. There's no such thing as free will anymore

Nanny State? No Free Will?

Yeah man, wikileaks is totally going to leak some wire on how the government of Denmark is in on some conspiracy to discourage people from eating junk food. 2k12 y2k UFO's 9/11 bigfoot I'M GOING INSANE MAN.

Or maybe it's that obesity and poor diets lead to a considerable decrease in the physical health of a nations population, which leads to an increase in the cost of taking care of ones citizens, especially in a nation with universal healthcare. The amount of money that is put into advertising that encourages people to eat unhealthy foods is astronomical, generally dwarfing the amount of money that is available for campaigns to educate people about eating healthy. It makes sense to increase a tax on something that makes people unhealthy.

[arista]

"This guy below. the Boss of Tesco's Mr Terry Leahy"


No he is not
anymore.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by chuck.pass

Yes, I agree with you. But I'm not sure if I think any of those things should have an extra tax in the first place.

As far as fags and booze is concerned, eEconomically, the UK would be in an even worse state than it already is: and the people earning the lower wages would be the ones who'd end up having to pay more tax on their earnings / council tax / road taxes and god knows what else to make up the defecit though.

[Cromwell1900]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

As far as fags and booze is concerned, eEconomically, the UK would be in an even worse state than it already is: and the people earning the lower wages would be the ones who'd end up having to pay more tax on their earnings / council tax / road taxes and god knows what else to make up the defecit though.

I don't know where the balance is but fags & Booze cost the NHS a heap of money as well as making it in taxes. But rather than taxing harmful products, i'd love to see a Harmful Products Tax laid on the Manufacturer rather than the consumer. Maybe it could be tied into an estimate of how much money the NHS spends on dealing with them.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Cromwell1900

I don't know where the balance is but fags & Booze cost the NHS a heap of money as well as making it in taxes. But rather than taxing harmful products, i'd love to see a Harmful Products Tax laid on the Manufacturer rather than the consumer. Maybe it could be tied into an estimate of how much money the NHS spends on dealing with them.

If fags and booze were so damaging: and the cost of health care was less than the monies that the treasury reap in taxes: don't you think both would be made illegal?

Why isn't that done instead? simply because more revenue is generated from the taxes paid on such products, than the NHS spend.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Cromwell1900

I don't know where the balance is but fags & Booze cost the NHS a heap of money as well as making it in taxes. But rather than taxing harmful products, i'd love to see a Harmful Products Tax laid on the Manufacturer rather than the consumer. Maybe it could be tied into an estimate of how much money the NHS spends on dealing with them.

If fags and booze were so damaging: and the cost of healthy care was less than the monies that the treasury reap in taxes: don't you think both would be made illegal?

Why isn't that done instead? simply because more revenue is generated from the taxes paid on such products, than the NHS spend.

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by Cromwell1900

I don't know where the balance is but fags & Booze cost the NHS a heap of money as well as making it in taxes. But rather than taxing harmful products, i'd love to see a Harmful Products Tax laid on the Manufacturer rather than the consumer. Maybe it could be tied into an estimate of how much money the NHS spends on dealing with them.

I remember reading that the tax revenue from cigarettes and alcohol actually far outweighs the cost they impose on the NHS, I'll see if I can find the article..

[Cromwell1900]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

If fags and booze were so damaging: and the cost of healthy care was less than the monies that the treasury reap in taxes: don't you think both would be made illegal?

Why isn't that done instead? simply because more revenue is generated from the taxes paid on such products, than the NHS spend.

I think Tobacco would certainly be illegal if the treasury was a poorer place after the sums were done.

But Alcohol is a bit more tricky i think, in that it has a value to most of us and we'd kick off and go all Al Capone on the Government if they took it away.

Whereas cigs are only enjoyable after your hooked on them as soon as you stop smoking your a happier fitter person and a drag would probably leave you wondering why did i ever enjoy this crap. Also i would not be surprised if the overall profit the Treasury may make on Cigs is much, and it certainly must be less now after Tony Blair banned there advertisement. And sometime after came the Public Place smoking bans.

[Cromwell1900]

Originally Posted by MTVN

I remember reading that the tax revenue from cigarettes and alcohol actually far outweighs the cost they impose on the NHS, I'll see if I can find the article..

Yep would be an interesting read, thanks!

[lostalex]

it's a very discriminatory tax
if you are going to tax people for being fat becauase they put mnore of a burden on the NHS, then you should also put a tax on Anorexia. Anorexia and Obesity are the same disease. Why don't we punish people who are too skinny like we punish people who are too fat???


and you should have a tax on people with Cancer, people with cancer cost more to the NHS. and you should have a tax for being old, old people also have more health problems. Basicaly you should put a tax on everyone who has any kind of disease at all.

Anemia tax, Alergies tax, AIDS tax etc....