To think that as big food industry cause a huge chunk of the NHS bill that they need to be taxed an NHS surcharge? Whats more galling is that many large food companies are US owned and the medication is US supplied.

The use of £5 as an example price is a straw man, signalling to me it would not be worth my typing time to engage with your false options directly

Pointing out that fruit is actually cheaper isn't a straw man, it directly refutes your main argument. If fresh fruit is accessible at bottom-tier prices, taxing chocolate isn't about affordability, it's just punitive.
but yes, am also not bothered in further engagement with your opinions either which are clearly “I expect others to make the life choices I do”.

Read The Road to Wigan Pier. Orwell beautifully highlights the link between poverty and junk food all the way back in the 30s so almost a century ago. This is for anyone highlighting personal autonomy and asking why people don’t buy apples rather than donuts.

So you will tax or ban the food you find to be unhealthy so hard people can't afford them or not buy them at all?
No government will do that. It will cost to many votes.

Obviously you are using a goady/judgemental description of people deliberately, but the question you raise is whether the state should ever intervene in what people choose?

If the state should not, we have many laws and rules to remove in other areas.

If the state should, why not food?

I think most, not all, but most, do know that beige crap is just that. But we have become extremely used to it. I teach teens and put on an after school event. One parent queried about eating and I was surprised by the fuss she made about making sure her dd could have access to healthy, non processed, non sugary options. I just assumed they'd all nip to Gregg's or the corner shop. I mean, she's right but it was so unusual it stood out. Modern life is very busy with working parents, pressure to do multiple after school hobbies. Cooking fresh from scratch isn't always appealing and not everyone has space for freezing batch cooking or running a slow cooker.

I dont disagree theres a huge issue but I think there are structural reasons for it beyond people bring stupid or lazy.

Food-related illness is estimated to cost more than alcohol-related illness, but yes social issues, crime, violence related to alcohol are expensive.

Good idea to stop fat, poor people eating what they want.

The word 'force' is hyperbolic and disingenuous.

No one is forced to stop smoking. No one is forced not to use paracetamol. No one is forced not to drink alcohol.

All are subject to intervention.

I believe there’s more alcohol related health issues than food.
Alcohol abuse also affects police costs.

Exactly look at the Jamie Oliver school meals thing, with parents shoving treats through the school fence!

The use of £5 as an example price is a straw man, signalling to me it would not be worth my typing time to engage with your false options directly.

The issues with food-related disease are known, and the drivers of behaviours are known (low price, availability, product placement, advertising etc.).

Some people have strong views about state involvement in health issues, but the UK accepts systemic intervention in smoking, alcohol, drugs, medication and driving amongst other things. I think systemic intervention targeted at high-profit global food companies would benefit the state and individuals.

We have to educate people. Not force them.

The real concern is that we make bugger all ourselves. We make less than 5% of our required insulin in the country. In case of being cut off from supplies for whatever reason (like war) people will die because of this.

Do you drink coffee @Noras??

At the expense of being a pedant, there’s already no VAT on fruit and veg - food and drink has differential VAT ratings depending on sometimes quite random rules ( half covered in chocolate or fully?) but basic raw ingredients like meat, dairy, grains and produce tend to be zero rated.

So do you want a mars bar to be a £5 or the satsuma to be artificially enhanced of calories?
or the meal deal for bag of chips, box chicken nuggets and bag peas to be fully ramped up in price?

YANBU.

The cost of obesity to the nhs is staggering. We need a complete overhaul. Weight loss jabs for anyone with a BMI over 27 would be a good place to start.

What is your point?

It is both cheaper per calorie and attractive, yes. This is why it needs to be tackled systemically.

If it’s genuinely an occasional treat, then hopefully you could afford it if you put a little aside every so often?

I think op is saying that those who buy lots of it every week won’t be able to afford to buy so much if taxes on junk food go up—then this might price them into healthier choices. Those who can afford to keep buying lots of junk will help to pay for their own future NHS treatment, much the same as smokers and drinkers do. Do you feel it’s unfair on occasional smokers and drinkers that these products are taxed because they are harmful to our health?

@Noras you have a point. At the moment it’s cheaper and more convenient to eat crap than to buy all unprocessed. The junk is also addictive—so they’ve got us on three counts.

There are numerous reasons people buy this stuff, so numerous that it’s not possible to list them all here. As a start though let’s mention money. If it’s constantly tight and you don’t have much option then the supermarket offer of Pixza, potato wedges and a bottle of pop for £5-7 is tempting if you have three kids to feed and your working plus tired. Yeah you could buy cheap mince, onion, potatoes etc and make a cottage pie your kids might or might not eat. It’s time consuming to make, you’re knackered and pizza, potato wedges etc mean definite tummies filled and less time consuming. You can make the healthy option another time.

i work part time now, you won’t find much of this stuff in my cupboards either but I have time and more spare cash. When my son was small they definitely contained it as I was working full time and was a single parent. Convenience and cost meant my son got fed but not always the most healthy option although he didn’t do badly as I’d cook at weekends. Not everyone has that privilege.

The state won't decide as you will still be free to buy what you want.

As with tobacco, any direct tax levied would reduce the amount of income tax/NI diverted to fund the inevitable treatment.

But the average 10 yo doesn't care. They will pick a mars bar over a satsuma.