+56 In a place with no tax on groceries, a low tax on junk food would help fight obesity, amirite?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

How? Junk foods are still quite a bit higher than healthy foods without it.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Where I live, junk food is usually cheaper than healthy food. Plus, it's more convenient (there's a fast food place every 2 blocks, but the grocery stores are more spread out). I feel like if it cost more, people would make the effort to go to the grocery store and get something there to save a little money.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Fast food places have taxes.. or at least where I'm from. There's the regular sales tax which is 6% and then there's a tourism tax of 2%. So all together we pay 8% on all hot foods from restaurants and delis. Of course it's not a tax specifically to decrease unhealthy eating, but it's a tax nonetheless. So that leaves other junk foods like chips and soft drinks. Actually, if I remember correctly, there's a regular sales tax on those as well unless they're purchased with food stamps. Anyway.. I just think there are better ways to promote healthy eating than raising taxes because raising taxes only gives more money and control to a corrupt government. If only it were easy to teach self-control to people.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Where I'm from there's a tax at restaurants but only if you are sitting down and eating. So there's no tax on to-go foods, which is really weird, I know. And I agree that it would be better to teach self control to people, but you know... people don't listen.

by Anonymous 11 years ago

Singapore has like a 1000% tax on cigarettes, yet people still smoke. Those already addicted aside, people are still starting to smoke. I think cyanide and arsenic are a lot worse than fat and excess sugar, so if it doesn't work for cigarettes, why on junk food?

by Anonymous 11 years ago

What is it with you people? In a so-called "free" country, who is Washington to tell us what we can eat? Do you not see how ridiculous this is? Also people eat junk food because they want to. They aren't being duped or lied to by Big Grocery. People realize its unhealthy, yet they eat it anyway. Because they don't care. Hop off it

by Anonymous 11 years ago