food tax

[wendilla]

Gordon Brown thinking of putting tax on fatty foods which means that we that don't over indulge in fatty foods have to pay higher prices to help people get obese as this is not going to deter some people ,Why should I and a lot of other people have to pay this extra prices? Is he going to cut the prices of healthy eating foods ?

[Bohne]

But you lost me with your last comment!!!

[pussnboots]

Do you think for one minute that Gordon Brown gives a hoot whether people are over weight or not. He sits in his little office and thinks.....right now what can I tax next.....The revenue from tobacco was/is vast and people are giving up in large numbers. In my family alone 3 have given up so thats about �12 a day he's lost. The extra money has to come from somewhere.

[spanner7853]

just another way of putting money in his pocket and taking it out of ours.

[Doc Spock]

This is answer. Immediate 25% tax on
1. Organic food
2. All salad foodstuffs.
3. Gym memberships.
4. Sports equipment.
5.Swimming baths entrance fee.

Result.........earlier death. Therefore reduction in state pension payouts, less drain on NHS as more people dropping dead in streets.

[KenR]

Standard Labour methodology. Control the individual by controlling society.
In otherwords, instead of allowing you the freedom to choose what to eat and then have some form of sanction against just those people who as individuals choose to eat unhealthily as a matter of routine, they bring in a sanction against everyone.

[Goodsoulette]

Lowering the price of healthy food is all well and good but its the farmers that will suffer. When you get your buy one get one free on strawberries thats not the supermarket paying for you to enjoy that, Thats the supermarket saying to the farmer we are putting you on BOGOF this week, you need to give us twice as much.

Fruit and veg is extraordinarily cheap, when you consider what it takes to get to the table. Educating children about buying fruit and veg in season.

Tax the crap buy all means. I stopped buying junk food all together a while ago as I have a slightly hyperactive toddler. Even cakes and biscuits are made here.

[weecalf]

Why dont this goverment leave food alone .They brough in that cook guy to help with school dinners .What happened ..there is a 25% drop off in children taking dinners so now the ones who do take dinners have to pay more .Vat on fat ..what next .The fat that should be cut back on is the "Fat Cats" living of the good of the land while the rest of us have get by on pittence....

[welshwil]

i'm slim so i should pay less.

[joko]

the tax should be on the companies who add all the crap to their food.

if manufacturers had to pay more tax dependant on the all the fat, sugar etc etc that they added - they would add less and spend more time perfecting the flavour without just tossing in more sweet ingredients.

i understand your point wendilla - we are being penalised in order to prevent greedy people from being able to buy so much crap - thats not our fault they have no willpowere, so why should it cost us more?

i think it is jsut a measure to compensate for the loss in cigarette sales

in reality though, how will this tax effect us?
what sort of prices can we expect to pay for luxury food?
if, as you say you don't buy much bad stuff, you will hardly be effected, the occasional 10p extra etc...

[wendilla]

Joko of course I will be affected I still buy these foods but in moderation .We do use these fatty foods but we dont over indulge in them like some people that just live on take a ways ect.I like nothing more that a good meal of fish and chips but in moderation.But what I am trying to point out is some people are just not bothered to try and eat healthly and will still be content to pay the higher prices so we have to pay as well and probably pay more again on the healthier foods as no doubt that will go up as well .You just can't win but the goverment can and always will.

[jno]

why do you say healthier foods will go up as well? Apart from the usual inflation rate, which isn't particularly high, is there any reason why they should? They're not taxed so they'll only go up if Tesco's put them up.

[wendilla]

Sorry Jno I disagree.The prices will go up before they reach Tescos or any supermarket. The growers of our vegetables and fruit are going to put their prices up knowing that more people may be turning to healther foods same applies to all healthy foods before it reaches the supermarkets .Most sellers take advantage to put prices up.