Denmark Introduces "Fat Tax"

[Thunderlight]

This tax is a limitation of the freedom of the people in Denmark. If they want to eat what they feel like eating, they shouldn't have to pay more. Even though they would be better off with healthier food, it is their choice and none of you have the right to judge/ control them.

[Deleted]

This tax is a limitation of the freedom of the people in Denmark. If they want to eat what they feel like eating, they shouldn't have to pay more. Even though they would be better off with healthier food, it is their choice and none of you have the right to judge/ control them.

Followed this thread quite a while now (though haven't read all the pages xD).

As a comment to your post I would like to point out that every single law made my a government can be viewed as bonds to your freedom. Every single law. But it is the contract you make with society when you keep living in a democracy.

Regarding the choice, we(yes I'm also a Dane) can choose to eat the more unhealthy food, though it will cost us a bit more, but that's our choice. If you argue that the raise in the cost will be a way to control us, then what about other goods which gains raise in their prices, though the price raise will be the will of a company?

More on topic, I welcome this. It is better to act before the problem is being overwhelming than wait till we're in deep shit :P. And I welcome it, even though it is just a tool to gain some extra money for the government. Why? Because it ill perhaps help the state achieve the funds necessary to keep the economy flowing

[Varabently]

Rather than making fatty food more expensive, make healthy food cheaper.

Quoted for awesome. Subsidize more vegetables and fruits instead of fucking corn to make sugar.

[killzwitch]

Society accepts fat people - cool, no problem.

We shouldn't accept the costs that come with being a tubby bugger, a smoker or a heavy drinker - taxes on foods and drinks which increase the risk of medical issues should be taxed ONLY if a healthy option is available as substitute, all of the tax MUST go directly to the healthservice, ideally the section of the healthservice that the specific food/drink will effect.

I will force myself into work with 100% commitment and effort, I will keep myself fit and healthy and educated on a suitable lifestyle choice I do not think it's fair my taxes are being given directly to people who do not give a shit, who can't be arsed to pop some fish in an oven, have smaller meals, jam jaffa cakes down their throat, drink coke, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, stay out of work to play video games, smoke, influence others to smoke etc etc

It hit home for me when my grandfather passed away following constant issues with his hospital appointments being moved and shuffled around due to staffing and the vast quantity of sick people, he did not receive the care he deserved, a veteran who fought for his country, never smoked and rarely drank, came home and worked till he was 65 - in the bed next to him was a 25 year old fat twat who just drank too much and ate too many pies. If I were a doctor I would have handed him a skipping rope and a bottle of water, given instructions on how to fill up the bottle with new water and then kicked him in the fucking face.

This world needs to get tough or burn in the flames of cost, fat being our wick.

[Deleted]

Here in Finland we have a tax for candies and sweeties 0.75€/kg
I guess that, along with alcohol and tobacco, if something new had to be invented to gain some more income, they did the right thing

[Deleted]

[QUOTE=Litterbox;13529069]We have the best health care system in the world. Stop your whine. And you're NOT forced to pay yet another "tax". Stop buying food that's bad for you. It's simple.



LoL your funny your telling me you wont be affected by higher prices on foods like butter, milk, cheese, pizza, oils and meat.


u cant avoid these product so no matter what I am and u are forced to pay extra mate


so plz stop saying I can avoid the new tax but again life is easy for simpleminded fools like u

well i shouldnt really bother replying u, your remark on our new prime minister really sums up your intelligence how does being a women affect her ability to lead the country

[Deleted]

"Bad stuff" isn't cheaper than some "Good stuff" because someone chooses it to be that way. "Bad stuff" is simply cheaper to produce than "Good stuff". You can't switch them around.

[goneloco]

its stupid. i would understand if it were for sugar but since u actually dont get fat by eating fat its stupid. u need carbs to bind fat thats what makes u fat. all carbs become suger in the body, without it fat helps u burn fat.

Yes, athletes usually eat lots of carbs because they need it.

well Björn Ferry got a gold medal while skipping all carbs. not even the athletes actually needs it.

[Deleted]

It isn't. Actually recently it has been shown that it is best for the health to use a low-carbohydrate diet. Rice, Pasta, potatoes should be avoided. And no bread either.

Wrong.
Rice, Pasta and especially potatoes holds important nutrients your body needs.
They should not be avoided. Very little should be completely avoided, actually.

What should be avoided TOTALLY is ...

Extremism is unhealthy.

There is only one sound diet.
The varied kind.

Then simply add excercise to ensure you burn what you eat. The end.

This tax is a limitation of the freedom of the people in Denmark. If they want to eat what they feel like eating, they shouldn't have to pay more. Even though they would be better off with healthier food, it is their choice and none of you have the right to judge/ control them.

Actually, yes. The government has that right.
The people then has the right to overthrow the government, but since you're in the minority about that, good luck.

[Laughriot]

Rather than making fatty food more expensive, make healthy food cheaper.

A thousand times this. One of the primary reasons people eat so poorly, at least in my experience, is because eating properly costs three times as much as eating Hamburger Helper, and whatnot.

[Proxiz]

There is just one mistake. This new tax will only make everything else more expencive. Im from Denmark and a local baker has just turned up all his prices to cover this tax. If he just put the price on cakes (high fat stuff) they will not sell and he cant have that. I dont know how to get past this dilemma/problem, but its there.

[Deleted]

There is just one mistake. This new tax will only make everything else more expencive. Im from Denmark and a local baker has just turned up all his prices to cover this tax. If he just put the price on cakes (high fat stuff) they will not sell and he cant have that. I dont know how to get past this dilemma/problem, but its there.

Is he the only baker in town?
Do you even need to buy from a baker, what you buy from him?

[Dux]

Not a bad idea, honestly. It's really not hard to stay in shape, glad to see a country actually realizes this issue. Not that the U.S doesn't, it's just no one cares here for some odd reason.

[kays]

i thought about it before it isnt going to balance out say a person who is overwieght spends $500 dollars on food which makes them overwieght and the tax is $400 a year so it evens out sort of they spend more on food which makes them fat so taxing so they dont get fat would make them spend less on food so its just about even but it would make sense if they stay fat they pay extra so thats more money and that'd work also it makes them spend less money on healthcare etc so its about even on win lose its hard to judge will have to see results before people start going McDonalds rage on their gov

---------- Post added 2011-10-05 at 07:30 PM ----------

also skinny people can eat high fat foods and wont have anything wrong if they burn it off so i think it should really be by persons wieght as harsh as that sounds

[rayden54]

Rather than making fatty food more expensive, make healthy food cheaper.

For the most part, you'd still have to make it taste better, and make it more convenient.

[Laughriot]

Except that's not the case in Denmark, fast food isn't cheap here.

Well, while I don't know anything about the price of fast food in Denmark, I wasn't talking about fast food specifically. Fast food in America isn't particularly cheap either, unless you stick to the value menus. I was talking about eating healthy at grocery stores. The cost of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats, when they are even available, is astronomical compared to the junk "box dinner" products like Hamburger Helper, Rice-a-roni, etc. Eating healthy, nutritious food is virtually impossible on a small budget.

[Poshadin]

Did anyone else read the title & think it was some tax against fat people?

"You're 5'10 & weigh 240, the limit for 5'10 is 200. Tax rate is $0.25 per pound, you owe us $10."

[Deadlycaster]

I very much doubt it will work, if its only a small increase people wont care.

the thought behind is good i think but as i said, the increase too small for people to care.