Governments should tax junk food?

[oneh2obabe]

Yesterday at WalMart in the checkout line, there was a woman with a full buggy and two young girls about 10-12 years old. Nice looking lady - nicely dressed but slightly overweight. Her buggy was loaded over the top with TV dinners (Michelinas must have been on sale - she had about 20 of them), potato chips, cookies, sweet cereals, canned spaghetti, candy and other poor choices. Nope, checked the flyer and Michelina wasn't on sale. Could she be stocking the freezer with these as after school snacks for the 2 girls instead of chips or cookies?

There was not one piece of fresh fruit, not one fresh veggie, no fresh meat in her shopping. She did have milk - about 3 jugs. Maybe she gets her fresh fruit and veggies at Quality Greens or Lakeview Market and meat at SuperStore, Costco, Johnny's or some other meat market. Milk is cheaper at Wal-Mart.

[Corneliousrooster]

Governments need to quit with this nannyism and get back to governing.

I don't see this instance as "nannyism" though - more cause and effect. to me it is a fiscally responsible decision to help offset the medical costs associated with the lifestyle. One way or the other we will be taxed to pay for the services provided, might as well target the ones that need (or will need)the services most.

It would be more fiscally responsible to teach people how to cook and shop smarter. Taxing them for their sins isn't the answer - educating them is. Prevention is worth a pound of cure.

that sounds a lot more like gov't nannying to me ... let people make there own choices and pay the consequences for those choices through increased taxation - why should the rest of us pay for their education (or lack of)?

[normaM]

I like my junk food! Tax fat people.
And don't go saying it is somehow my fault they are fat, they are fat by their own hand, don't punish me because they can't exercise self control

[Captain Awesome]

For some reason people think if you tax something, they'll just stop doing it - smoking, drinking, eating burgers, playing lottery. But the reality is that people just keep paying, they just get upset about it.

[normaM]

agreed. I can see in years to come HA selling Chips and chocolate bars

[kgcayenne]

Sure, our food system is skewed right now so that the bad calories are cheaper. That's messed up.

That's not true. That thought is used as an excuse but it is not true at all.

....

It's very do-able - but lazy folks or folks who are too "busy" will make all kinds of excuses and expect government to babysit them.

A rhetorical question: How many people out there will schedule out blocks of time for specific TV programs, but can't seem to take time out to put forth some effort to cook real food?

The problem is a mindset, not food or price, and I agree with what was said earlier about people complaining instead of changing.

[wthwyt]

GF I agree with taxing junk food, with revue generated use it to lower the 5 food groups.

Sounds good to me.

[grammafreddy]

GF I agree with taxing junk food, with revue generated use it to lower the 5 food groups.

Sounds good to me.

And what makes you think that will do anything? Food is expensive because that's what people choose to buy - the packaged pre-made crap. They are too flippin' lazy to cook from scratch. Some people haven't got a clue what to do with fresh food.

Scratch food is cheaper and far more nutritious. It is not more expensive - unless you eat steak every night.

Healthy eating is part of family's lifestyle choice. Chose otherwise and you are subjecting yourself and your kids to poor health, lazy habits and a crappy attitude. Meal prep can be a family affair and be a bonding part of family life. But then again, families don't exist any more, do they? Everybody just does their own little self-centered "me thing".

[grammafreddy]

How does anyone see "the lowering of prices on the fresh and healthy food" being done?

If prices are mandated lower in the grocery stores, then who is going to take that hit in their pocketbook? The growers? And then what? Are you prepared to pay extra in taxes to help them keep their farms going? Or do you want all your food to come from China?

[GordonH]

All the basic needed are along outer walls of the store, should only need to venture in middle for baking goods & rolled oats.

All the junk food & processed crap is either to high in sugar, sodium or both.

But if you want speed up your trip to a casket or other bad health issue than bon appétit.
IMO this should be one of basic that parents should be passing on to those kids they gave birth to, OMG what radical idea.
Parents teaching home economics 101 to next generation. Wow what could come from that I wonder, could it be nnnoooo.... responsible adults. Sorry just having a little fun with this... is true.

[grammafreddy]

All the basic needed are along outer walls of the store, should only need to venture in middle for baking goods & rolled oats.

... and paper products, personal care items and pet food.

[GordonH]

All the basic needed are along outer walls of the store, should only need to venture in middle for baking goods & rolled oats.

... and paper products, personal care items and pet food.

Oops your right GF.

IMO I would never buy pet food from any grocery store.

[Imagination]

All the basic needed are along outer walls of the store, should only need to venture in middle for baking goods & rolled oats.

... and paper products, personal care items and pet food.

Oops your right GF.

IMO I would never buy pet food from any grocery store.

Or better yet, eliminate pet food all together and take the same whole unprocessed food approach for the pets as well. They don't need the processed stuff any more than we do.

[Glacier]

BC just voted to reduced the tax on junk food by 58%. Go figure.

[grammafreddy]

BC just voted to reduced the tax on junk food by 58%. Go figure.

Not entirely true if what you mean is the HST vote.

You could (and will be able to again with the change back to GST) buy 1 donut and pay tax but if you buy 6 there was no tax because 6 was considered food but 1 was called junk. Donuts weren't the only thing that applied to but its the one that comes to mind at the moment.