| | junk food tax - why not !!Page 1 of 1 | the idea that alcohol and tobacco consumers financially burden societies is not new. Its a sort of "sin tax" to discourage the use of these luxurious killer drugs society cant seem to shake.
Well why not tax "Junk food "!!
Australia is a biggie when it comes to FAT people, in fact Obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading cause of premature death and illness in Australia...
the very word Mc Donaldization is becoming a descriptive word used daily.
So if we taxed fast foods like, cheese burgers, pizza's and all the other sh!t that clogs arteries and makes our collective ass's look big, would it encourage us to eat more avocados and healthy foods alike ?? | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/4/2012 5:32:06 PM | I'm all for it if they make the 'healthy food' cheaper.
I try for the healthy option. I need to, but being on a low income with the prospects of losing my little job with Tafe likely, sometimes cheaper junk is the only option. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/4/2012 7:51:57 PM | Great idea!
I think though that all will happen is that the consumers of that stuff will just sacrifice off something else to save the money for that food. Smokers do it every time cigs go up. Sacrifice that Drs visit or gym membership or healthy meal in exchange for the darts. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/4/2012 8:46:55 PM | I hear what you’re saying Caves and understand your logic, but I can’t see it happening…
People are overweight for a variety of reasons and yes it would be fair to say that is mainly as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise –it’s a simple mathematical equation – more calories consumed, less calories spent equals one being overweight (yes there are exceptions to this general rule but let’s leave them alone for the sake of this debate– medical conditions etc)
However you cannot blame “junk good” for one being overweight – a contributing factor - yes but no more than any other foods….…because by taxing junk food you then have to define exactly what is junk food !!!
Yes one would say Maccas, HJ’s , your local pizza parlor, Red Rooster - would fit the criteria of ” junk food” and I’m sure this is where one would tax … but then where do you stop ?…excessive consumption of many foods will lead to a weight problem if those excessive calories consumed and are not “burned” – even a place like Subway for instance who promote healthy choices does not mean that you will not gain weight from eating their products if you eat it excessively and again don’t burn off the calories.
It has been studied and reported that Australians are still putting on weight even though many are making low fat choices within their diet eg:, low fat diary, low calorie soft drinks, low fat meals etc but what they are doing is consuming more of their low fat choices and not following portion control and still not exercising. The key is that we have become sedentary in our lives, we chose to watch a dvd rather than go for a walk with the dog, we jump into our car to pop up the street to buy bread and milk instead of riding our pushbike. Incidental exercise has been lost on a day to day basis
And then your traditional snack foods, like chocolates, cookies, crisps etc are they regarded as Junk Food as well , will they be subjected to a tax ?? because excessive eating of those will also contribute to a weight issue, as opposed to munching on half a kilo of grapes.
Some people will argue that the local Chinese takeaway is junk food but others will say that its fresh quick and low calorie and a healthier option than say KFC, well yes, but then deep fried sweet and sour pork is not !!!
There is no doubt that obesity is costing the Australian Tax Payer billions of dollars however unlike with smoking and alcohol (which are definite lifestyle choices) you cannot dictate what people chose to eat and swallow and one must eat……..and a tax will not stop people eating whatever they desire…let’s be honest, do you know of anyone that has TRULY given up smoking or drinking because it’s become too dear ???…I certainly don’t… my experience is they will always find a way to justify their expenditure and will skimp on something else, to pay for their habit rather than give up.
I have to disagree with the comment regarding posted “sometimes cheaper junk is the only option.”” – I totally empathise with your situation …I’m on a single wage, working in a poorly paid service industry as my work is regarded as unskilled (funeral directing - so go figure) and I’m living in Perth which is now listed in the top 10 most expensive cities in the world. You will struggle to find rent below $350/400 here (if you can find somewhere to rent) and food is beyond sky high in price – the reason given for our exorbitant food prices is that we are so isolated that they have to ship pretty much everything in from over East etc…however I’ve always managed to eat well if I don’t buy “junk food”
If you go to the big suppliers like Coles, Woolworths – you can find freshly prepared meals in their deli sections for $8 each – 4 for $10 for their homemade soups, and if you keep your eyes on the catalogues, you can easily buy Weight Watcher meals (which btw are yummy as ) for $3.99……you can find cheap, fresh healthy options if you really want to. Yes basic daily food like fruit/veg meat etc are beyond dear, even more so in Perth but only yesterday my flatmate bought a pizza (and picked it up herself) nothing else and paid $25and that pizza was only big enough for one……..the cost of junk food is far more expensive that healthy alternatives–
At the end of the day, we make our own choices – you chose what you put in your stomach, you chose whether you then exercise it off or not…and if you are wise, you will take full responsibility for your choices…….. and I can’t see a tax changing that | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/4/2012 11:39:03 PM | @ Pookie,where do you get your WW meals from?Damn $3.99 is cheap,normally if they are on special anywhere near me its $5.00 min,maybe occassionally pick them up for 4 for $20,likewise with Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine,and they do me for a meal(as i did go under the knife and weight loss surgery.
But as you said an food is as healthy or un healthy as the next it all comes down to moderation and after years of self neglect,ive done and doing something about it.Going to the gym and spending time outdoors enjoying the sun.
So instead of dying now of heart desease and clogged arteries,im scared of being hit by a bus or getting skin cancer | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 12:13:20 AM |
So instead of dying now of heart desease and clogged arteries,im scared of being hit by a bus or getting skin cancer
And therein RAOTW you have hit the nail on the head....in the end something will "get "you
Just a interesting side note: As those who know me from on here...Im a funeral director and over the last 5 years - we have started ordering in more and more of what we call ""Oversize"coffins from our manufacturers...to cater for ..yes people being taller but also wider...what we considered a standard coffin years ago is now also obsolete and standard is now a Översize" and the demand for caskets has also increased due to more and more deceased persons being of above average height and weight...
IGA sells them for $3.99..but I dont think you have IGA on the East Coast...not sure.. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 1:05:54 AM | How you define a junk food is a great question and herein lies the problem.
If you buy a burger from Macca's or HJ's it is considered junk food but if you make the same burger at home is it still considered junk food?
If you buy a chicken drumstick from the supermarket and coat it in breadcrumbs then deep fry it at home, is now considered as junk food?
Buying food and then preparing and cooking it can turn healthy food into junk food.
A tax on junk food isn't that simple as the way it can be cooked can either make it junk food or not, for example, you can buy uncooked dim sims and deep fry them and they come under the heading of junk food but if you steam the dim sims they are not classed as junk food, I know that this example is simplistic but the point is still the same.
What foods we consume isn't the basis of junk food defination but how these same healthy foods are prepared and cooked is the reason for obesity as well as the amount we consume. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 1:08:51 AM | Thanks to having more than two political parties, we actually have a junk food tax already. Sure, its only 10%... but you get what you pay for.
IGA sells them for $3.99..
Damn, thats a cheap casket!  | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 2:27:18 AM | A lot of these folks are on government assistance (ebt card)!The doctors in this country are very concerned
about the rate of diabetes affecting kids as young as twelve years old.Raising a tax on this would be somewhat
ludicris.Taxes are the basis of the food stamp program here.I've cashiered a lot at my job.The only thing that I've
seen taken off the eligibility list is these energy drinks.In ten years,energy drinks? | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 2:36:40 AM | Lol ....ah ginger I literally did laugh out loud at your comment and my rushed posting !!!
For clarification
IGA tend to sell Weight Watchers meals at a price of $3.99 on a given week and your local funeral director will happily sell you a casket with a starting price of approx 2 grand !!
Do not get the two confused !!!!!
Seriously I am such a Pookie | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 3:03:49 AM | I have to be honest and admit that this politically incorrect, not allowed to say anything about fat, for fear of offending really shits me. Its acceptable to have a go at smokers, alcoholics etc but mention weight and excess of it and suddenly all hell breaks loose and you are branded a fattist. Being obese will damage you as surely as drinking and smoking and it needs to be treated as such.
At the end of the day, until it becomes socially unacceptable and people are made to feel bad about it, nothing will change.Gone are the days when smoking was acceptable and I feel being obese should be the same. Its the only way anything might change and our population will stop becoming fatter and fatter and more and more unhealthy.
And before I get smashed, im not being a cow. Im being someone who found their Mother in Laws body on her kitchen floor, after she died of a huge pulmonary embolism that the post mortem said was caused by her obesity. She was in her late 50s.
I think a tax will not change anything and I don't know what the answer is really. All I know is, it is not something that can be **** footed around for fear of offending people for much longer...... | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 4:23:11 AM | I agree Hilly --- I feel gagged on this one...
I eat junk food -- occasionally
but for the love of the deities I am a size 8 from head to toe.
Why should I be slammed with another tax?
Could it be a weigh before you pay system?
If, it is targeted at stopping obesity... | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 5:28:34 AM |
I'm all for it if they make the 'healthy food' cheaper.
kmac thats exactly what my junk food tax would do !
I think everyone at some stage has thought "awe fukitol, macca's is just there, saves making a mess when i get home and its cheaper" but its a cop out !!
I think though that all will happen is that the consumers of that stuff will just sacrifice off something else to save the money for that food. Smokers do it every time cigs go up.
your right Noxious !! but I am sure we would all eat "less" sh!t overall, if they made carlton beer $10.00 a longie Id go with out so I could have one but I garrantee i'd be drinking a whole lot less and complaining a whole lot more..
People are overweight for a variety of reasons and yes it would be fair to say that is mainly as a result of poor diet and lack of exercise
true pookie, but the same could be said for alcoholics, they're alco's for a variety of reasons.
However you cannot blame “junk good” for one being overweight
yer I think we can, you could still be obese eating 10 kilos of rice, or a bag of apples a day, but we all know how we get fat.
I guess taxing foods that have" X " calories by weight or similar. or just plainly put, I think just fast foods would be good, ie do you have a drive thru <y> = tax
And then your traditional snack foods, like chocolates, cookies, crisps etc are they regarded as Junk Food as well , will they be subjected to a tax ?? because excessive eating of those will also contribute to a weight issue, as opposed to munching on half a kilo of grapes.
BANG ON POOKIE !! thats what i am saying Chocolates, cookies, crips =junk food sin tax. grapes = tax exampt !!
smoking and alcohol (which are definite lifestyle choices) you cannot dictate what people chose to eat and swallow and one must eat……..and a tax will not stop people eating whatever they desire
I am here to argue that smoking, alohole and obesity are all life style choices.
every one must eat, but if a person was 120 kilos and 5'6 its not big boned. they choose to eat far too much.
And if a greasy cheeasey double whooper was $14 you might consider making one at home.
let’s be honest, do you know of anyone that has TRULY given up smoking or drinking because it’s become too dear ???
I dont smoke not since last year. will quit breathing before alcohole, but i made a conscious choice two drugs and they both cost too much and gave me too little.
BUT I am not trying stop poeople from eating (with my imaginary tax) I am just saying eat less of that and more of this.
If you buy a burger from Macca's or HJ's it is considered junk food but if you make the same burger at home is it still considered junk food?
making your own burger at home is much more difficult than spending 3 mins in driving thru. it would be less convenience. if your going to destroy you kitchen making hamburgers you might do something else instead.
I wouldn't tax chickens 'more !! cause kentucky fried chicken deep free 'em.
but i would like to tax the New and Exciting "pop corn chicken tacos"that they parade em on tv and sell in your drive thru, ... a chicken is bad enough but what the F*&K is pop corn chicken anyhow ?
I eat junk food -- occasionally
Why should I be slammed with another tax?
you would only be slammed by another tax when you indulged drive thru food outlets. just like alco's and smokers get slammed when they indulge.. fair call...
put the tax money into bypass clinics - a user pays type system
we have diet milk , fat free yogart %98 fat free this and fat free that, so we can eat and not get over weight, yet if your unlucky enouf to be born in the wrong part of this world you may die of hunger. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 5:48:25 AM | There is no doubt that obesity is costing the Australian Tax Payer billions of dollars
1) We could employ lots of beaurocrats to introduce a new optional tax in the hope that it enables a tiny bit more of our taxes taken from us by force to trickle down to us (after subtracting advertising, education and enforcement expenses...), or
2) We could cut the compulsory tax, keep our money and pay for our medical treatment ourselves.
Maybe its all the anarcho-capitalist stuff I've just been reading, but option 2 is looking good to me. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 4:39:33 PM |
We could cut the compulsory tax, keep our money and pay for our medical treatment ourselves.
option 2 sounds great Ginge until the doctor sez your a dead duck with out bypass surgery, oh and we have a 'pay up front' system here. $74536.30 please .
no worries, all that money you saved from not paying compulsory tax will pay for that . anarcho-capitalisim and private hsopitals yer yer !! | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/5/2012 6:15:22 PM | | Would it be an oxymoron to have Fast Healthy Food outlets. My preference is fresh organic if possible. I use Agave syrup instead of sugar, make my own bread when I can and like home cooked meals. Going to the health isles or shop can be a daunting thing. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 1:30:38 AM | $74536.30 please ... no worries, all that money you saved from not paying compulsory tax will pay for that
Firstly, no-one said health insurance was outlawed under that proposal. Of course it would be indexed like it currently is for risk factors such as age and obesity, but the idea is user-pays after all.
Secondly, that amount is only a few years' tax on an average wage. You do realise how much tax we are forced to pay, don't you? | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 2:07:43 AM | Thirdly, that is the price to pay under a complete tax system such as we currently enjoy. The hospital business is taxed, the staff are taxed, the equipment is taxed, the freighting of equipment is taxed, the construction of the hospital is taxed, raw materials are taxed, the land is taxed, the bog rolls are taxed...
Did you know that the true cost of a 3000 bed hospital is actually $3.98 without taxes? Its cheaper than a casket! | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 5:51:35 AM | | it's an excellent idea. people are addicted to junk foods and it's easy money for the government. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 6:59:00 AM | Caves , I think you are angling for a consultants job with the Govt LOL
What is it with everything today , where the answer must be TAX IT !!
As a lazy fat **stard I propose we introduce a fitness tax , because I DONT wear out footpaths with endless jogging ,
I dont require parks for exercise and enjoyment , sell them off to private industry , let them fence them off and charge a motza as Health Resorts !
Introduce a SPORTSPOWER Tax ! where anyone wearing athletic clothing purchased anywear but a discount variety store is Taxed enormously , because the purchaser must have time and money on his/her hands to be able to afford $400 shoes just to get them all sweaty and full of athletes foot !
Eating more healthily ? Think of the massive waste of our most precious resource , water .... everyone knows the more fibre in your stool , the more water that is excreted , leading to increased consumption to replace ... Oh the humanity !!
More cheese I say ... bind yourself up, only poo every couple of days on a low fibre high protein high fat diet !!!
Not to mention the toilet paper saved , 1000's of trees rejoice !
Us lazy slobs might cost the Govt a huge amount at the end of our life , but surely it is a HUGE saving over the billions spent
on maintaining resources for the enjoyment of people who try and be fit !
Not too mention the trillions saved in old age pensions and knee replacements .......... we will be dead by 60 , thus opening up the job market , saving on pensions , not clogging up old peoples homes , because we didnt raise kids who are too busy chasing the perfect life we have fooled them into believing they can have , and are too busy to take care of their long lived parents and shunt them off into Govt care !!!
Soylent Green anyone ? :D | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 4:24:17 PM | too right !! I should be in a govt. job...they'd call me robin hood of the tax dept.
but seriously, smoker's pay for themselves, alcoholics pay for themselves, why should I have to carry fat barstards around.
the fat buggers have overtaken smoking as the leading cause of death but but the cheese burgers are getting cheaper and cheaper. it was cheaper for me to buy 3 pizza's than 2 last tuesday at Domino's. WTF! wish the bottle shop would do that.
having excess stuff and excess money and buying sports equipment isn't the leading cause of death, nor are the pot wholes in the road or the worn footpaths.
its pretty much that simple. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 5:31:56 PM | Yes, I think in theory junk food should be taxed. Pookie is right though in pointing out what a legislative and administrative nightmare it would be. A tax calculated on the ratio of calories to nutrients consumed perhaps? Claiming deductions after 30June on the basis of physical energy expended during the dine-ancial* year?
*being an audience to bad puns burns calories, you’ll thank me at tax time.
One of my home-made chocolate brownies alone would see me taxed out of existence. I may have to start eating them offshore. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 5:42:31 PM | I certainly hear where you are coming from Cavey , but being serious for once ( this takes quite an effort being me )
It is a sad reflection on society and Govt in general , that we now see revenue raising, as a means of justification for "Doing the right thing" ....If its too hard,or requires some actual resources, it seems the cry these days is " Tax It"
Its a dangerous pasttime , Australia is already a world leader in direct and indirect taxation .... forget about all the fancy doo-dads we can now afford , but lets look at ACTUAL quality of life we as Australians experience .
Gone are the days of the Great Australian Dream , to get anywhere near it these days , it requires BOTH partners in a relationship to work full time , there is less family time , a single income family struggles unless the working partner has an above average income .
To have a stay at home parent is a luxury rather than the norm these days ( unless said parent is on welfare or cant actually find a job )
I grew up in the 60's and 70's and even without the rose coloured glasses , can see that people are far different these days ... they are too busy to stop and actually enjoy the things in life we saw as our right , living in the lucky country.
Australia is still an amazing , beautiful safe place to live.grow, and raise a family in ... but our expectations from life , and our governments expectations of revenue , are slowly choking it .
If everytime our answer to a social problem is to TAX IT , rather than work as a society to fix it , then it becomes a Govt problem , not ours , and lets face it , the Govt doesnt really care who lives and dies , unless it upsets their balance books , history is full of examples to this .
What happens when a scientific report lists celery as containing a certain element that might knock 2 years off your life .... do we introduce a Celery Tax ?
Like I hinted at in my humour above ... should we tax running shoes , because decades of pounding the pavement has lead to a huge increase in joint replacements ? | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/6/2012 6:09:27 PM | | Surely the object of the tax would be to make bad choices less attractive, rather than just helping to pay the associated health costs? food already has legislative requirement to show fat and sugar content so my answer would be to only tax on prepared food that has more than say 10% fat and sugar. Some of the revenue could be put toward making fruit and veg and other basuc food cheaper. I feel strongly against over legislating but people respond so readily to the hip pocket nerve that I think the junk food tax has merit. Since the fast food chains are super efficient at making a dollar their obvious response would be to produce new products that escape the tax. | |
|
| junk food tax - why not !!
Posted: 6/7/2012 1:31:55 AM | my answer would be to only tax on prepared food that has more than say 10% fat and sugar. Some of the revenue could be put toward making fruit and veg and other basuc food cheaper.
Unfortunately most fruits are 10-20% sugar, so they are subject to the junk food tax under your 10% threshold. Sure, you can raise the threshold to 20%, but then you're letting in a lot of other stuff too. | |
|
Home
login 
