Would anyone oppose a 20% tax on sugary drinks in the upcoming budget?

wazky · 06-10-2013 05:30PM

Dean0088 wrote: »

Their cost to the HSE will be less because they'll only enter the system once for a heart attack and then die on their second heart attack.

Really?, someone should tell my Uncle he is infact dead then.

Fukuyama · 06-10-2013 05:33PM

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

It's cola, mate. ffs.

lets ban sweets, alcohol, fast food, cooking oils, chips, salt, eggs etc etc etc. Because it's all bad for you. Actually, better yet, lets not ban those things. Lets tax the hell outta them.

I was being sarcastic when I said that. I'm not in favour of banning/taxing coca cola.

I buy maybe one can a month. I don't want to pay an extra euro or whatever because Fatty McBeetus inhales the stuff.

I'm not in favour of paltry attempts of a government to fix this issue.

The issue has stemmed from a culture of laziness, sedated lifestyles and crappy parenting.

It's a family activity to go to the cinema and inhale junk food. It should be a family activity to go hiking / swimming / cycling etc...

The odd family you do see with attitudes such as that never have an weight issue.

RandomName2 · 06-10-2013 05:34PM

Charlie Rock wrote: »

People need to drop this 'wah, wah, wah, nanny state' reflex to government measures designed to protect the public from scumbag corporations who hoover money out of the economy at the expense of the health service among other services.

The state has a duty to protect its citizens. The state has done an excellent job of reducing the harm caused to the population by slapping harsh taxes on tobacco, banning advertising, making public buildings and work places smoke free etc.

Why shouldn't we follow this tried and tested example with sugar?

I agree with you.

And we should not stop there.

Alcohol is destroying this country. It is seen at every event, every fixture. People are getting intoxicated every night of the week. Drunk drivers crashing cars... people needing liver transplants... I could go on!

And this immorality constantly displayed on our screens! The filthy language, pornography and salacious material! Not to mention the godlessness of it all. The morality of this country is being corrupted and quite frankly without action it is only going to get worse.

All this modern liberal nonsense of letting people do what they like, say what they like, think what they like: it has to stop.

This message is brought to you by the Authoritarian Single Party State.

Fukuyama · 06-10-2013 05:34PM

wazky wrote: »

Really?, someone should tell my Uncle he is infact dead then.

Someone should tell your uncle to lay off the McD.

B.A._Baracus · 06-10-2013 05:36PM

Dean0088 wrote: »

I was being sarcastic when I said that. I'm not in favour of banning/taxing coca cola.

I buy maybe one can a month. I don't want to pay an extra euro or whatever because Fatty McBeetus inhales the stuff.

I'm not in favour of paltry attempts of a government to fix this issue.

The issue has stemmed from a culture of laziness, sedated lifestyles and crappy parenting.

It's a family activity to go to the cinema and inhale junk food. It should be a family activity to go hiking / swimming / cycling etc...

The odd family you do see with attitudes such as that never have an weight issue.

Opps. Sorry dude. Took you completey wrong in your previous post. My bad.

Smithwicks Man · 06-10-2013 06:07PM

Wompa1 wrote: »

What would be the result for somebody who would want to be a designated driver in a pub now? Paying more for a glass of Coke than your friends pay for their pints?

It would have to be a pretty hefty tax for it to reach the price of a pint with the cost of a pint as high as it is!

jester77 · 06-10-2013 06:08PM

wazky wrote: »

"Breaking news: A bad batch of Coke is on the streets at the moment, reportedly it has been cut with Fanta".

Aka mezzo mix

The One Who Knocks · 06-10-2013 06:12PM

jester77 wrote: »

Aka mezzo mix

Do you know where you can get it in Ireland?

Had it in Germany before, love the stuff!

Gummy Panda · 06-10-2013 06:12PM

In germany they sell a drink which is like coke and fanta mixed together.

Celly Smunt · 06-10-2013 06:12PM

I saw a kid skulling into a 2 litre of coke on the way home from school on thursday because the shop had an offer on.Surely restricting the cheaper drinks would be more effective than taxing the expensive ones.

jester77 · 06-10-2013 06:21PM

Jamez735 wrote: »

Do you know where you can get it in Ireland?

Had it in Germany before, love the stuff!

It's not sold in Ireland or I've never seen it, the generic name here is Spezi with mezzo mix from coca cola being the most popular brand. It's just coke and fanta mixed, nothing else added that I am aware of. Not sure of what the ratios are, probably a bit more fanta than coke as it's not that sweet. But the Fanta recipe is totally different in Germany compared to Ireland, much nicer imo, not as sweet and not as fizzy.

April O Neill · 06-10-2013 06:27PM

Dean0088 wrote: »

Schemes, info campaigns dont work.

People have unprecedented access to diet information, studies etc... thanks to the Internet. Yet here we are.

Food is not to blame. Idiocy is.

I know people who use coke and red bull as their main source of hydration.

When I was a kid (2000s) my ma would buy us Coca Cola on our birthdays/Christmas etc... Now it's the main drink for kids.

Fully grown adults who can't control their eating, make poor decisions and then blame their "condishun". :mad:

Most people live a sedated life. No exercise. Car/public transport everywhere. No outdoor activities.

Come home from work and veg out in front of the TV/laptop. :rolleyes:

Loosing weight is simple. Eat ACTUAL food. One hour of exercise/strenuous physical work per day. Simple.

We all know this. But yet... it's not happening. Makes sense, we are evolutionary wired to be drawn to sweet, salty and high calorie foods, but in ancient times these were rare, so it wasn't a problem. It was an advantage as occasional high calories fixes would tide us over. We still have that within us. The problem isn't caused by idiocy. That's too easy.

So, bearing all this in mind, and considering the problem is worsening, what's the solution? Because 'eat less, move more' ain't working.

GobBass · 06-10-2013 06:28PM

They increased the price of chewing gum by over 20c, I'm angry enough at that for the moment.

_Redzer_ · 06-10-2013 06:29PM

I would oppose it. Damn fat people having kids and passing on their ****e diets feck it up for the rest of us who like the occasional bar of chocolate or can of coke!

darkpagandeath · 06-10-2013 06:32PM

would an orange count as a sugary food ?

Seaneh · 06-10-2013 06:34PM

Below are a series of videos called "The Skinny on Obesity" narrated by Robert H. Lustig who is a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco. He also has other videos like "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" and so on. His Youtube Channel is an extremely good resource.

Anyway, Video's #2, #4 and #7 in this series are especially pertinent to this debate and anyone pulling the "Nanny state rabble rabble" bollocksology needs to educate themselves on the realities.

Karl Stein · 06-10-2013 06:34PM

Dean0088 wrote: »

Google it. It's well known and raised during almost every discussion of the subject online.

You make the claim you back it up. Your claim is nonsense until you provide a credible source.

RandomName2 wrote: »

All this modern liberal nonsense of letting people do what they like, say what they like, think what they like: it has to stop.

You've me all wrong. I believe in freedom. I think weed should be legalised along with other drugs. I also believe in freedom from having corporations push harmful products. Allowing the profit motive to dictate public policy when it comes to harmful products is truly truly ****ing stupid.

up for anything · 06-10-2013 06:36PM

Leave the fizzy drinks alone. Pile more tax onto alcohol and rid us of those 'merry', half-cut, stupid fools who turn into morons after 3 drinks. Also means that I might not have to avoid piles of puke on the street on the way into work in the morning. It would also cut down on a quite a few associated alcohol problems. :mad: The government are running scared on that though - it's the one thing that would get the Irish people out on the street demonstrating.

Seaneh · 06-10-2013 06:37PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

would an orange count as a sugary food ?

Massive strawman there.

There is a difference between naturally occurring sugars and added, refined sugars. Also, a whole Orange has neutrients, fibre, it has dietary benefits, a can of coke has no benefit, it's literally just 330ml of ****e.

WoollyRedHat · 06-10-2013 06:38PM

Why stop at sugar drinks... I say, and this might sound a bit radical to some, but tax everything that has sugar in it, choclate, sweeets, sugar bags,.... tax the Great Sugar Loaf , that will bring loads of tax revenues, tax anything that even looks like sugar, salt I'm looking at you. We need a sugar taskforce and stat.

_Redzer_ · 06-10-2013 06:43PM

up for anything wrote: »

Leave the fizzy drinks alone. Pile more tax onto alcohol and rid us of those 'merry', half-cut, stupid fools who turn into morons after 3 drinks. Also means that I might not have to avoid piles of puke on the street on the way into work in the morning. It would also cut down on a quite a few associated alcohol problems. :mad: The government are running scared on that though - it's the one thing that would get the Irish people out on the street demonstrating.

Why not just feck off with all the taxes? Let anyone who can't regulate their intake suffer the consequences themselves.

0ph0rce0 · 06-10-2013 06:45PM

Tax the people who want to add more tax to other stuff

Gatling · 06-10-2013 06:46PM

Tax on sugary soft drinks should be taxed on the amount of sugar added ,
10c on every spoon of sugar added the more spoons the more tax

josip · 06-10-2013 06:47PM

I'd be very happy if they did. I'm well on my way to being a type 2 diabetic

0ph0rce0 · 06-10-2013 06:50PM

josip wrote: »

I'd be very happy if they did. I'm well on my way to being a type 2 diabetic

And that wont change just because a can of coke costs 20c extra.

You enjoy it so why not, if you become diabetic then so be it.

You could be killed tomorrow sure.

Healthy me hole.

Seaneh · 06-10-2013 06:51PM

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Tax only the people more who want to put more tax on other stuff

Engrish?

0ph0rce0 · 06-10-2013 06:51PM

Seaneh wrote: »

Engrish?

Yes

edit: JUST READ IT HAHA

tomdempsey200 · 06-10-2013 06:52PM

whats the point like....?

a bag of sugar is just a euro anyhow for anyone that likes sugar

ezra_pound · 06-10-2013 06:55PM

wazky wrote: »

Yes because people cant make decisions for themselves and need a porky little Health minister to advise us if we can have a coke or not.

They can still decide for themselves. The minister isn't banning sugary drinks. He'd just be encouraging them to make the right decision. Like taxing plastic bags.

srsly78 · 06-10-2013 06:55PM

Charlie Rock wrote: »

You make the claim you back it up. Your claim is nonsense until you provide a credible source.

It's a simplistic analysis but... From a cold economic point of view the ideal tax paying citizen is the one that works hard all their lives but then drops dead at 65. The least ideal citizen is one that lives a long time drawing their pension but needing lots of medical care. Well... technically the worst is a citizen that doesn't work or contribute to society at all, and then proceeds to live long in retirement with massive medical bills.

So don't use money as the argument, use health instead.

Would anyone oppose a 20% tax on sugary drinks in the upcoming budget?

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