Should A ‘Fat’ Tax Be Added To Fizzy Drinks?
HEALTH experts are asking the government to put a 20 per cent ‘fat tax’ on soft drinks and unhealthy food in a bid to cut obesity.
Dr Oliver Mytton and Dr Mike Rayner of the Department of Public Health at Oxford have told the government that an extra 20 per cent whacked on to soft drinks could lead to a drop in obesity-related diseases.
Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition said a ten per cent ‘fat tax’ would reduce sales of sugary drinks and encourage consumers to swap to healthier alternatives.
What do you think? Would a ‘fat tax’ work? Or should the campaigners leave well alone? Have your say by commenting in the box below.
12 Comments »
Foods are not inherently
unhealthy, but too much of anything can be. Fresh fruit juice for
example has loads of sugar in it and high levels of acid that attack
tooth enamel. Don’t regulate – educate!
Everyone has a choice. I know I don’t chose to eat this kind of rubbish. But I don’t think putting a tax on it will convert people. They are already set in their ways. Instead of adding tax to food and drink maybe the government should introduce a scheme that educates people correctly on diet an exercise?
Everyone has a choice. I know I don’t chose to eat this kind of rubbish. But I don’t think putting a tax on it will convert people. They are already set in their ways. Instead of adding tax to food and drink maybe the government should introduce a scheme that educates people correctly on diet an exercise?
I just think the whole food market need a new pricing range. Its come to some thing when a shop can sell beer cheaper than my water company can sell me water ( but is only supply and demand) or when it cost 8 quid for a free range chicken from UK and 3 quid for a battery farm chicken from Brazil. Free range doesn’t mean luxury, It just means its free to walk around live a happy normal life. Freedom doesn’t make something cost more the clue is in the name FREErange it hasn’t cost the supplier more to raise them. Same with raw products like wheat, sugar and veg cost less in a processed or oil form than the raw product. Again how can something that has grown from the earth be worth more that the same product that has been processed by people or machinery then delivered to it destination. It doesn’t !!!!!!!!!!, Most company’s sell these products at a loss (veg, meat and fish that’s been processed or done 1000′s of air miles. Where do you think they recoup these costs ??? BINGO !!!! The free ranged, the raw products and the local produce. Only the consumers can put the pressures on to change this. But we wont. We will just carry on been sheeple and getting flocked
obesity costs the NHS ( and us) about 6 billion pounds a year. It can generally be avoided by eating a healthy diet and staying fit. There needs to be a widespread campaign to raise awareness and a wholesale shift in the way society looks at food. I would suggest a move towards a vegetarian or vegan diet for most people would eliminate this problem entirely. The marketing of caffeine and energy drinks to children should be of particular concern.An age limit on these of over 18 would be a positive move.
why dont they try to make the healthy food cheaper then we could all afford to eat better!!!! Next we will all be on nettle soup and grass x bet they end up putting a tax on that too!!
Well they put the price of cigs up which ruined my lunch hour cigarette and bag of grapes – now I can only afford the ciggies, now they are ruining my break by making sure I can’t afford the apple I used to buy with my can of fizzy drink
they should make healthier alternatives cheaper instead. More often than not it is cheaper to buy chocolate than fruit but putting prices up wont mean people will go onto healthier foods if thet still cant afford them.
They should make healthy foods like fruit veg pork beef weight watches stuff quarn stuff cheaper and make unhealthy foods like chocolate crisps biscuits pizza burgers cakes ect dearer
They should make healthy foods like fruit veg pork beef weight watches stuff quarn stuff cheaper and make unhealthy foods like chocolate crisps biscuits pizza burgers cakes ect dearer
They should put 20% tax on unhealthy food and make fruit and veg tax free . But these robbers in government at the moment will just put the 20% on food and won,t reduce anything.
mark
May 16, 2012
why dont they tax us on the air we breath as well,bloody stupid.