Fat Tax Debate
1. Somehow we need to understand that the "sin taxes" don't sway any of the persons they penalize. That's why the taxes are so profitable for the States they support. If somehow fattening food became taxed, we'd see a dynamic shift toward healthy in fast food restaurants. Wouldn't we?
Response:
I don’t see taxes shifting fast food restaurants to healthy foods. In the food world, taste is king. And fast food restaurants must cater to what the customer wants. Taxes are always passed on to the consumer, and as you say, they don’t keep people from buying something they crave. More and more fast food operations are offering salads and good-for-you options but only because it gives people a choice. But no matter how healthy it is, if it doesn’t sell, it leaves the menu. People have to wake up to choosing better food, and then if fast food operations can make it taste good, people will buy it. Fast food companies will not be taxed into submission to produce food people won’t buy.
2. I don't think we'd see any change in behavior at all. I think people would eat whatever they want. Now if you taxed the restaurant industry on fattening foods...then we'd see a shift in menu selection.
Response:
I agree with your first point. In a free society people have the right to be wrong. And they will eat what they like, or smoke, or drink no matter how high the taxes. The wallet doesn’t control the wasteline. Taxing restaurants won’t change the menu. Menus are made to serve the taste drives of the public. People pay for what pleases them—and that’s what makes the menu. On their own, restaurants are serving up healthier options. You see more vegetarian choices, even organic items. Information can change behavior. But it takes time. And even if you tell me a light dinner salad is all I need, my eyes and my taste buds are going to direct me to the New York strip.
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Comments
On May 27 at 02:34 AM Jazzy said:
A tax on fatty foods will not act as a solution to the obesity crisis currently taking place, but make everyone pay for these individual's actions.
And it would be an economist's nightmare, how would it be decided how much tax goes on each fatty food? Not all fat is bad fat.
We tax gambling and we tax cigarettes. These are things that harm us. Why tax fat?
On Sep 27 at 12:55 PM amy said:
Y should we give fat people a break? ya they may have been born like that but if they were really concerened about their weight they would not complain but give some postive action
On Mar 14 at 07:26 PM carmen wolf said:
All I'm trying to do is get a receipt from a show that aired Sunday, March 12, 2006 on the food channel between 3P and 4P PST. It was a show on Italian cooking. All I want is the garlic bread receipt. Am having little luck in getting help!!!