Tax on Junk Food?

[Randy]

Do you think we should add an extra tax to junk food?

Do you think this would be a good way to combat obesity and poor food choices while grocery shopping?

 

[passenger]

No new taxes!
No, if people are gonna eat junk food, people are gonna eat junk food.

 

[PGen98]

Eh, don't tax my junk foods! I need those!

 

[Henrywrites]

They should not dare tax junk foods. This is the type of food people can easily have access to. Taxing them will be a bad idea.

 

[Kale]

People will continue to eat it even if there is a tax on junk food or soda.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

People will continue to eat it even if there is a tax on junk food or soda.

Same here, I would still buy it as a treat. Which is what I do now. We don't really buy junk food when we do our regular grocery shopping.

 

[MrDawn]

There already is. It's called Sales tax.

 

[Kale]

Same here, I would still buy it as a treat. Which is what I do now. We don't really buy junk food when we do our regular grocery shopping.

This has been proven when they passed a sweetened beverage tax in Chicago. People may gripe about it, but will continue to purchase soda.

https://www.cookcountyil.gov/service/sweetened-beverage-tax

Cook County’s short-lived ‘soda’ tax worked, says new study | UIC Today

today.uic.edu

then see stuff like..

Chicago's Short-Lived 'Soda Tax' Cut Consumption, Boosted Health Care Funds

MONDAY, Feb. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Chicago's brief and now-defunct soda tax did cut the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, a new study finds, along with raising funds for public health initiatives. From August to November 2017, when the tax was in effect, the volume of soda sold in...

consumer.healthday.com

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

There already is. It's called Sales tax.

They don't charge sales tax on food here, unless it's cooked. Junk food is tax free.

 

[passenger]

They don't charge sales tax on food here, unless it's cooked. Junk food is tax free.

Here there's a tax on "prepared" food.....candy bars, potato chips, restaurant, take-out, etc., etc.
Greedy bastardos.

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Here there's a tax on "prepared" food.....candy bars, potato chips, restaurant, take-out, etc., etc.
Greedy bastardos.

Similar here. I think prepared food is exempt as long as its not cooked. For example you can go to a take-n-bake pizza place (like papa murphys) and wont be charged sales tax because they didn't cook it.