Unhealthy food tax

[Frank97]

Do you think unhealthy food should be taxed? I personally think it should be and the revenue generated should be used to subsidise healthy food, so that burgers become expensive but fruit and veg become next to nothing.
Surely that would help to encourage people to eat more healthily and if some of the junk food establishments go under so be it.

[237SJ]

Who decides what`s unhealthy? Steak isn`t unhealthy but it might be if you have high cholesterol levels. Chips aren`t unhealthy if you eat them once a month but they are if you scoff them every day. Taxing "unhealthy" food smacks too much of Big Brother to me. Education is the way forward. I do agree that the supermarkets should be taken to task about their prices of healthy food. £1 for one measly avocado in Sainsburys, £2.25 for a tiny pack of raspberries. Eating healthily costs a fortune. No wonder some less well off people buy junk food - it`s cheaper!

[Sqad]

W3.....look....I agree...drinking...obesity.... cigarettes.....according to many (majority) on this site there is not a problem with drink, anyway no worse than it always was and they are living in a state of denial.

How do you deal with this?

[dave50]

People who are obese and these poeple are usually on benefits who refuse to cut down should be refused medical treatment. This wont apply to smokers because the tax they pay is more than enough to cover it.

[Sqad]

///dave50
People who are obese and these poeple are usually on benefits who refuse to cut down should be refused medical treatment///

Can you just imagine the left of centre ABers getting their teeth into that suggestion?

[Wrongn3mber]

Sqad alcohol directly dictates the lives of many here and in the uk people are just to blind to see it, ask them not to have that wine at the end of a hard days work, or not to have that g&t because "It's friday" or "My internet friends are drinking so I'm joining them for a social drink" let's see whether alcohol dominates their every waking thought after just one week after not engaging in their usual weekly habits an I predict they'd become extremely bored, irritated and depressed. All signs of a habit.

[LoftyLottie]

I disagree that junk food is cheaper. I agree that some fruit and veg are very expensive, but I eat healthily and don't but much junk food and don't spend a fortune. It involves spending more time in the kitchen though and I honestly think that people eat junk food mainly because they are too lazy to cook. Anything for an easy life.

[jackthehat]

Perhaps we ought to encourage the fat unemployed underclass to die off quickly, thereby ensuring that our precious resources are only available for the most deserving.........i.e. *us*?

[Frank97]

@237SJ I agree it would be difficult to decide what is healthy and what is not.

[Wrongn3mber]

"I honestly think that people eat junk food mainly because they are too lazy to cook." Addiction plays a part too loftylottie and the truth is fast food is damned tasty and appeals to our inner child in many cases but this then develops into a habit caused by laziness, convenience and lack of will power.. I've never seen anyone say "No let me not order that pizza and let me grab a banana and apple instead" have you?

[LoftyLottie]

Well no I haven't. But then I have never ordered a pizza! ;o)

We all eat 'naughty foods'. Nothing wrong with that in moderation. But as you say it comes down to lazyness. I hesitate with the word 'addiction' though. More habit than addiction. There is a difference.

[gingejbee]

There's no such thing as "junk food" - only a "junk diet".

[Wrongn3mber]

Loftlottie, Yes I do know the differnce, lol. No I mean addiction, have you looked into e-numbers, msg and other compounds found in many our foods and beverages? If not you should.

[Old_Geezer]

Unsure what the solution is but I suspect some folk are time poor, and feel buying from a "junk food" provider allows them to cope.

And again some will just not be confident in being able to provide or even envisage what would be a healthy meal so can not face trying. Do they do home economics courses in schools these days?

I suspect 'carrots' rather than 'sticks' (no pun intended) help those who'd, deep down, like to be helped. And others, well what they find helps them cope with life ought not attract punishment from those with the power to make folks lives miserable.

[LoftyLottie]

Yes I have. But the stuff I buy is pretty harmless and I only read ingredients labels on the stuff I buy. I agree that tea and coffee is addictive. I am addicted to tea - I even sniff teabags!!

[Wrongn3mber]

Lol, is that to check for freshness or just because you love the smell?

[LoftyLottie]

Old Geezer, yes they do home economics, but call it Food Science I think. (Although I think what they need are basic cookery lessons - not lessons in how to design a pizza wrapping (which is what my son had to do!).

Personally, though I think learning to cook starts at home by being in the kitchen whilst Mum or Dad cook. So many younger people these days just don't cook/can't cook and it will get worse as generations progress. People have to have fantastic kitchens these days, but so many of them haven't a clue about food and nurtrition.

[LoftyLottie]

Because I am hooked on the smell. I didn't realise I did it, until my son pointed out to me that the first thing I do every time I open the tin with the tea bags in is smell them!!

[Wrongn3mber]

I totally agree loftylottie, kids learn by their surroundings so if they see mum and dad carefully preparing a healthy nutritious meal they too will get into this habit, but what they see is mum and dad out working all day come an order a pizza, microwave a meal or throw some junk together and call it "Dinner" and sadly the kids learn that this is the correct way to eat.

[LoftyLottie]

Sad really, because I don't actually think that junk food tastes very nice. Well except for those lovely hot doughnuts that are rolled in sugar!!!!!