With the government and MP’s discussing a tax on sugary drinks as a measures to tackle child obesity, The Commons’ Health Committee said there was now evidence a tax would reduce consumption. The government will be setting out its plans early next year when it publishes a child obesity strategy.
This is just about my thoughts on taxing sugary drinks and just general taxing things that are bad for our health. With the government proposing a tax of 20% of high sugar drinks, which really is any fizzy drink. They think this is going to help with childhood obesity levels. Myself I’m really not sure how taxing fizzy drinks to really going to make that much difference in obesity levels, other than racking in more revenue for the government.
Think about it logically your average main brands like your Pepsi or Coca-Cola for a 2ltr bottle is £2, but most supermarket have these on alternative offers of around a £1, this would make them an extra 40p or 20p respectively, so really in the grand scheme of your shopping price really not that much more. Then if you buy another brand will be even lower now ourselves as a family don’t drink that much fizzy drinks but we prefer the aldi mid range coke now this is only 37p a bottle so the tax may take this to nearly 45p a bottle. now this would not stop us buying these drinks.
So really for most families even with this tax if you buy a few bottles a week depending on the brand you buy may only add about £1 to your shopping, so adding the tax really isn’t going to make any difference in most people buying them. This is really the same as the proposed tax they tried on alcohol again this wouldn’t stop heavy drinkers buying beer etc. Now I’m kind of a smoker at the time of writing this I am trying to give up again, I keep giving up for a while then going back onto them. The main reason for giving up is more to do with my health than the cost they keep putting the fags up, but yes they are getting to pricy but would always find the money and really the government put the prices up to stop people smoking, but really this isn’t the main reason for me.
So really how is taxing sugary drinks going to help help with obesity, it is not really just to do with fizzy drinks or even unhealthy foods. like everything most food and drinks are OK in moderation. it is more down to the individual or parents to take responsibility for what we eat and drink we all know salty, sugary foods are bad for us, but we still eat them, which would be OK once in a while. and also not everyone is the same I love my chocolate and can eat loads within any week, even though my diet isn’t the best I am not overweight, which does mean this missus moans at me yes I can what I what I like and not put the weight on the opposite to her 🙂 even though I’m not overweight at all my diet is probably not the best for my health. But I’m healthy enough and have no problems that would relate to what I eat.
With any tax on what is bad for us like alcohol, fast foods, sugary foods / drinks, adding extra cost to these items, first of all isn’t going to make any difference to the people that either eat or drink to much as they will do the same and find the money from elsewhere. It though will affect the poorer of the population. But the main reason I can see taxing these kind of items is for extra revenue for the government, as no amount of taxation will make the difference it is down to the your self to make that choice.
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