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

loveisdivine · 07-10-2013 10:10AM

I'd rather they just reduced the price of healthy nutritional foods/drinks.

Capt'n Midnight · 07-10-2013 10:36AM

srsly78 wrote: »

Fanta is muck, it was only invented because a world war cut off supplies of coke. A poor substitute! A real nazi drink.

In many countries Coke bought out the largest soft drink company and rebadge their formula as "Fanta"

It tastes different in different countries because the composition varies.

Nutella is a wartime chocolate substitute too.

Capt'n Midnight · 07-10-2013 10:40AM

Charlie Rock wrote: »

Absolutely I would. I'd also advocate that the EU stop subsidizing sugar production and slap big duties on its importation so we could make some money from highly subsidized American corn syrup.

Whatever about sugar, high fructose corn syrup is just nasty ridiculously subsidised stuff. And most of the subsidy goes to large agri business rather than small farmers.

Yeah moving subsidies for stuff that isn't healthy to stuff that is would be a good idea. But the WTO / G20 etc means you can't get away with that unless you are blocking food imports from Africa or somewhere.

I'd also advocate that the Chinese follow the example of the Americans' war on cocaine by sending their forces to the tobacco fields of the US to help destroy the tobacco crop. Far too many Chinese people die from consuming highly addictive American tobacco. Would anyone blame the Chinese government for trying to save its population from such a destructive drug?

Remember how the Opium wars went ?

Wanderer2010 · 07-10-2013 10:42AM

I cant get over how many anti-fat views are in this thread, it seems to be widespread in society as a whole too. Now considering how many adults and children are overweight and obese in this country, isnt it more than a little hypocritical to show such disdain towards them because, whatever your view on their diet and exercise regimes, chances are you are either overweight yourself or have a friend and relative who is overweight. This snidely little "fat people should pay more" attitude belongs in a society where being overweight is the exception rather than the norm. Look around you, its the norm :mad:

Jester252 · 07-10-2013 10:52AM

There are just some people that will fight any tax because you know the gubberment is bad

Guy:Incognito · 07-10-2013 11:03AM

wazky wrote: »

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

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezzo_Mix

darkpagandeath · 07-10-2013 11:10AM

Why are so many people in the business of telling others what to do ? it's not healthy for you so I'm not going to let you do it . If i don't do it you cant. you know it's for the greater good. you know we live in a democracy right which means as long as you follow the laws of the land you can butt out of others people business. And i think you will find it will be a flat vat rise to bring Ireland into line with other countries we have far to many exemptions and are loosing apparently about 2bil in tax revenue.

RandomName2 · 07-10-2013 11:11AM

Seaneh wrote: »

Because eating an Orange or an apple has a net benefit nutritionally, drinking a litre of juice doesn't, can you seriously not understand that? Why do you feel the need to constantly create logical fallacies?

I've already said tax exemptions on cakes should be abolished, or did you just miss that because you don't ever actually think about the reality of the arguments you engage in and just spout your usual drivel regardless.

Discouraging over consumption of sugar is beneficial to industry, society as a whole and the individual, the fact that you cannot understand that simple, obvious reality isn't surprising though.

So squeezed oranges should be taxed as sugary drinks, but unsqeezed oranges should be exempt because you can't drink them?

How about freezing bottles of coke? Can't drink that.

Wanderer2010 · 07-10-2013 11:19AM

Why only sugary drinks, what a black and white argument against obesity- why not tax crisps, chocolate, cakes? Why not reduce gym memberships as an incentive for people. Why not ban vending machines in workplaces and schools? There are so many other things we could be doing rather than a blanket "tax sugary drinks" method which will solve nothing long term..

wretcheddomain · 07-10-2013 11:25AM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

ok so can i increase the tax on your wages by 20% as it's only a marginal increase ?

Really depends on the amount, right?

If my wages were €500 and it was being taxed at 20%, that'd have a vastly more significant effect that 20% on a €1 can of coke.

But .20c is just too much to pay in our 'nanny state' right? :rolleyes:

wretcheddomain · 07-10-2013 11:27AM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Why are so many people in the business of telling others what to do ? it's not healthy for you so I'm not going to let you do it . If i don't do it you cant. you know it's for the greater good. you know we live in a democracy right which means as long as you follow the laws of the land you can butt out of others people business. And i think you will find it will be a flat vat rise to bring Ireland into line with other countries we have far to many exemptions and are loosing apparently about 2bil in tax revenue.

Aren't you telling us what to do by demanding that we all agree with you, close the thread, and shut up?

Irony is irony.

darkpagandeath · 07-10-2013 11:31AM

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Really depends on the amount, right?

If my wages were €500 and it was being taxed at 20%, that'd have a vastly more significant effect that 20% on a €1 can of coke.

But .20c is just too much to pay in our 'nanny state' right? :rolleyes:

ok as long as it's just 20c sure why not make it 50c as that's not much? I'm glad to see so many people have so much disposable income to absorb any price increase.

darkpagandeath · 07-10-2013 11:33AM

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Aren't you telling us what to do by demanding that we all agree with you, close the thread, and shut up?

Irony is irony.

Point to were i said that and not something you made up ?

ezra_pound · 07-10-2013 11:50AM

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/budget-2014/doctors-seek-20-hike-in-tax-on-sugary-drinks-1.1551873

The medical professionals'perspective

blatantrereg · 07-10-2013 12:01PM

Funny that sports drinks make you fat and unhealthy.
A banana milkshake is better to drink after exercise than anything labelled as a sports drink you'll find in a newsagent.

darkpagandeath · 07-10-2013 12:15PM

blatantrereg wrote: »

Funny that sports drinks make you fat and unhealthy.
A banana milkshake is better to drink after exercise than anything labelled as a sports drink you'll find in a newsagent.

Funny a TAX is the answer and not education

blatantrereg · 07-10-2013 12:18PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Funny a TAX is the answer and not education

Everybody knows that drinking lots of sugary drinks is unhealthy. It's not a matter of education. It's a matter of indulgence. An unhealthy indulgence is a good thing to raise taxes on.

darkpagandeath · 07-10-2013 12:24PM

blatantrereg wrote: »

Everybody knows that drinking lots of sugary drinks is unhealthy. It's not a matter of education. It's a matter of indulgence. An unhealthy indulgence is a good thing to raise taxes on.

sorry no just no how is this going to make 10k people thin that's what there spouting on the news ? don't you think the amount of tax people pay is already having an effect on what people consume ? so another TAX must be the answer and if that does not work we will just TAX it more. did they not do that with something with nicotine in it ?

Darkglasses · 07-10-2013 12:28PM

Can I have an exemption? I drink coke pretty often but have a BMI of 19, exercise much more than average and have no health issues.

Skylinehead · 07-10-2013 12:28PM

ezra_pound wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/budget-2014/doctors-seek-20-hike-in-tax-on-sugary-drinks-1.1551873

The medical professionals'perspective

“A Health Impact Assessment commissioned by the Department of Health in 2012 estimated that a 10 per cent tax on sugar sweetened drinks would reduce the number of obese adults in Ireland by 10,000.

So a can of coke going up by 8-10c is going to make 10,000 less fat people. I'm struggling to see how, seems like they've pulled an arbitrary, completely unrealistic figure out of their asses.

blatantrereg · 07-10-2013 12:29PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

sorry no just no how is this going to make 10k people thin that's what there spouting on the news ? don't you think the amount of tax people pay is already having an effect on what people consume ? so another TAX must be the answer and if that does not work we will just TAX it more. did they not do that with something with nicotine in it ?

Making a bigger dent in kids' pocket money will discourage them from drinking it so much.
Making cigarettes too expensive for kids to typically afford is also a good idea.
You seem very wound up tbh. Perhaps your blood sugar is low.

halkar · 07-10-2013 12:35PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

Funny a TAX is the answer and not education

Education costs money. Tax makes money.

darkpagandeath · 07-10-2013 12:36PM

blatantrereg wrote: »

Making a bigger dent in kids' pocket money will discourage them from drinking it so much.
Making cigarettes too expensive for kids to typically afford is also a good idea.
You seem very wound up tbh. Perhaps your blood sugar is low.

how about putting a satnav system in your car that if you try to drive to the local shop it wont turn on so you have to walk ? I remember years ago mothers/fathers would walk there kids to school now they roll up in a car. Maybe letting children out to play and not have them hold up in there room on the xbox would make them thinner also. you know that thing exercise. it does not matter what you eat if you eat more calories than you burn your goanna get fat regardless if it has sugar in it or not.

gobnaitolunacy · 07-10-2013 12:45PM

blatantrereg wrote: »

Funny that sports drinks make you fat and unhealthy.

They're intended to be consumed while at sports or physical activity, not being sat on your arse at Playstation.

Having said that, there's probably waaay more sugar than there needs to be in them.

Conall Cernach · 07-10-2013 01:08PM

Darkglasses wrote: »

Can I have an exemption? I drink coke pretty often but have a BMI of 19, exercise much more than average and have no health issues.

You could make a fortune by going into the shop as a proxy for fat dudes looking their Coke fix like how kids will ask adults to buy them booze in an off license.

rustedtrumpet · 07-10-2013 01:45PM

Cant get over how ignorant this suggestion is. Tax on something other people may enjoy, coming from a person that probably prides themselves (Hah laughed at) in the fact they don't drink sugary drinks. What a thing to pride themselves in... day off, have one mate.

turbot · 07-10-2013 01:51PM

The 20% tax is a step in the right direction.., but given the massive profitability of soda & flavoured sugar water, maybe the point of leverage is to tax promotional activities - because coke ads are everywhere.

http://whatsheonaboutnow.com/why-is-coca-cola-advertising-everywhere/

paulbok · 07-10-2013 01:54PM

psinno wrote: »

Bottled water isn't healthy?

It's not based on whether something is healthy, most foodstuffs are at the 0% vat rate as they are deemed to be a necessity.
Those that are at the 23% vat rate are deemed to be a luxury item such as chocolate, soft drinks, and bottled water is also deemed to be a luxury item as it's available in your tap (water quality and water tax aside).

If this is introduced it'll be the thin edge of the wedge on additional taxes on food commodities that are currently exempt from vat.
Not to mention the inevitable court cases where company A sues the state for loss of sales because of the extra vat, while their rivals company B's products are exempt from the extra tax.

Also how will they define the sugar% in a food item that triggers the additional vat?
Currently as I mentioned, chocolate is at the 23% rate, chocolate biscuits are also at that rate unless the solid chocolate content by volume is less than (I think it's) 28%. So you would think that drinking chocolate would be classed as a luxury item? No, there is only ~9% (on the one in our office) solid chocolate in it, the rest made up from constitutient ingredients, so it is vat exempt.

Savoir.Faire · 07-10-2013 01:59PM

I hope this doesn't apply to mixers. While a number of my friends consider it sacrilege, I rather enjoy a splash of ginger ale in my tumbler of whiskey - if I have to drink Irish.

Pretzill · 07-10-2013 02:00PM

Someone else said and I can concur in the past a fizzy drink was a rare treat on the shopping list. Just like a rare trip to a burger joint etc. People should take more responsibility for what types of food and drinks they are consuming. We don't need more taxes for that.

I hate fizzy drinks but when I was a kid a cold bottle (glass not plastic) of coke was delicious mainly because I'd only get to drink it a few times a year. We are saturated now with choice and availability of plastic bottles of fizzy sugar that often times go flat before they empty. Why would such crap need an added tax. Same with processed foods which are most times less nutritiuos and often times more expensive than making homemade alternatives that taste nicer.

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

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