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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To get fed up with people with people like Jamie Oliver trying to coerce poor people via taxation.

517 replies

Booyaka · 19/10/2015 22:47

I absolutely loathe Jamie Oliver anyway, but this crusade of his over sugar is driving me mad. I think something possibly needs to be done about sugar, but I don't think this is the way to do it. He did make a suggestion about prominently labelling total number of teaspoons of sugar in a product, which seemed quite sensible. But mainly he was pushing the tax angle.

Jamie Oliver's entire schtick seems to be that poor people can't be trusted to make the right decisions so they should instead be priced out to force them to make the decisions that he and his ilk believe that they should be making.

It bloody annoys me that they seem to think if you are wealthy and can afford them anyway you can be trusted to make the right decision anyway, but if you're poor you need to be coerced, and that coercion, of something as basic as what you eat and drink, is fine as long as you are poor. He did very much concentrate on handwringing about 'the deprived' too and how this tax would seemingly save them from themselves.

Apparently 1/3 of the products he sell in his restaurants are high sugar anyway, but he probably doesn't mind that, because he prices his tat so highly only middle class people can afford it and they're sensible enough to be trusted with sugar unlike the proles.

He probably doesn't realise, but a lot of people can't afford to take their kids to Tuscany or the Caribbean, Cornwall or even Skeg-bloody-ness. They can't buy their kids a lot of toys or give them days out. Is it really fair to give these people a financial kicking for giving their kids one of the few treats they can afford? Especially when many of them do so sensibly and in moderation.

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SarahSavesTheDay · 20/10/2015 18:31

I hate the fact that the sort of cooking and eating that many ordinary families did in the 1960's is now seen as 'pretentious' and 'middle class'.

Yes, this narrative basically stops any meaningful discussion about food and obesity dead in its tracks.

What a shame.

Meanwhile, RIP NHS.

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 18:46

Unless the NHS is willing to change the advice they give they are playing their own small part in it Sarah.

BlueJug · 20/10/2015 18:54

Whether you like JO or not is irrelevant really and unacceptable to make a load of nasty personal comments. The sugar problem is huge - whether it is as big as alcohol or smoking is again irrelevant - it needs dealing with.
Why are the healthy eating options discussed always fruit? So that everyone can say it is expensive. Of course it is expensive to eat fruit- especially if it is out of season. Porridge, a sandwich, a jacket potato, raw carrot, toast and marmite – all cheaper.

I also fail to see how if you are stuck inside and there is no fun to be had how stuffing your kids with sugar is going to make anything better for anyone.

The whole “treat” mentality is a marketing concept, like the “snacks” culture – it sells stuff. In an earlier post someone said that a banana is a normal part of a diet and therefore not a treat. I find that weird. My mum still tells the story of the first time she saw a banana and how wonderful it was.

My kids never, ever got sweets or crisps after school – they just didn’t. It never crossed my mind. While we persist with the attitude that crap food is a “treat” and teach our children to value it as such then it doesn’t really matter how much we tax it.

I think good for JO for having a go. We will all be the better for it.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 20/10/2015 19:00

I don't have an opinion on him either way. I can take or leave him on s personal level.
But what makes me seethe about the' You must eat healthy brigade "Is that they don't take into consideration the cost of eating healthy. Junk food is far more cheaper and always on promotion. If you're on a budget what are going to do buy 12 bags of crisps for £1 or a punnet of grapes for £,2

minifingerz · 20/10/2015 19:00

"I'm pretty sure that level of activity would counteract a large amount of cola."

An hour of constant running would burn off a bag of crisps and a Coke.

It would make you hungry though....

minifingerz · 20/10/2015 19:02

"12 bags of crisps for £1 or a punnet of grapes for £,2"

You go to the market and buy a huge bag of English apples for a £1.

bumbleymummy · 20/10/2015 19:04

maybe a a big bag of apples (local and in season) instead lighthouse?

bumbleymummy · 20/10/2015 19:05

x post minifingerz!

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:09

The unpalatable truth is that people are more interested when there is a celebrity involved.

This board is currently running the third thread about Kids Company in regard to its financials.

Me and a few other MNers tried to raise issues with the RSPCA and those threads died a death despite several of us bumping them every so often. And yet there were plenty of ppls experiences on those threads but no celebrity connection.

But Kids Company has a rather flamboyant figurehead who is in the public eye. What im trying to say is that the cult of celebrity seems to make a difference to the level of interest in what is actually going on.

And as for the faux concern regarding the NHS Poor housing costs the NHS a lot of money But when ive pointed that out on threads in the past it got glossed over. And on one thread i got told it was the most boring way to kill a thread.

So Poor housing costs the NHS = boring.
Obesity costs the NHS = OMG

Obesity can be used to vilify poorer people

Poor housing and tackling it helps poorer people AND the NHS So why isnt that talked about and tackled more.

Because this isnt really about the NHS Its about "othering" overweight and poorer people.

BlueJug · 20/10/2015 19:10

Crisps have zero nutritional value so why is it "either" "or"? You are better off with nothing than crisps.

BrandNewAndImproved · 20/10/2015 19:16

Crisps are as bad for your teeth as sweets. My dentist hates crisps.

limitedperiodonly · 20/10/2015 19:20

Jamie Oliver's food crusades on behalf of the nation, just like his efforts to assist feckless young people to aspire to a career peeling vegetables for the minimum wage while promoting his business are the reason why he makes so much money.

I don't care to have his social and political views rammed down my throat.

I find them ignorant and unpleasant, and in the case of the minimum wage and his opinion on British workers v immigrant workers, extremely self-serving.

But sadly, I don't get the choice. I do find it amusing though when his mates Tony or Govey appeared to go along with him for the publicity and then dropped him when it didn't suit them. He gets really upset when other people turn out to be better at cynical manipulation than him.

And you know that school dinners series where starstruck heads welcomed him in to use children and parents for his bank balance and greater glory?

Why didn't he do it at his own children's school?

Do you think he and Jools or the other parents would have allowed cameras in for one second? I don't

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 20/10/2015 19:28

He's a Twat.

CharityBarnum · 20/10/2015 19:35

There was a thread on here years ago, someone witnessing the Olivers getting very preferential treatment for school places. Perhaps that's why.

H.T: For fuck's sake, get them in so he won't roll up with a bloody film crew!

SarahSavesTheDay · 20/10/2015 19:39

So Poor housing costs the NHS = boring.
Obesity costs the NHS = OMG

How much is substandard housing costing the NHS?

It's apples and oranges in any case, because you can't swap substandard housing for good housing that way you can swap junk food for good food.

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:39

Sorry i meant tackling poor housing will help poorer ppl and the NHS. I put it the wrong way around,

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:41

Poor housing costs the NHS £600 million

www.theguardian.com/society-professionals/2014/aug/08/housing-problems-affect-health

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:43

Sarah in a lot of substandard housing there is a lack of proper or decent cooking facilities.

I am absolutely stunned that i have to point this out.

Proves the point i made at 19.09 though.

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:45

Thats £600 million A YEAR.

Booyaka · 20/10/2015 19:45

The thing is, Jamie wouldn't campaign for the onus to deal with this to be on the producers would he? Because then 1/3 of the products he sells would become either banned or he would be taxed. And he's not going to want to do that, he wants the onus to fall on all the irresponsible poor people, not him. Plus he probably has one eye on the fact that he may at some point want to enter into lucrative endorsement or distribution deals with companies who produce soft srinks or their subsidiaries so won't want to antagonise them. And why bother picking on the big, powerful, rich food companies when you can just pick on poor people again?

Also he will know that it's likely to have little impact of the big spenders of his customer base so won't impact his sales. And yes, his 'campaigns' do always coincide with him having something to flog. He's remarkably quiet otherwise.

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:45

Thats £600 million A YEAR

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:46

Thats £600 million A YEAR

HelenaDove · 20/10/2015 19:48

Sorry for multiple posting MN playing up again

minifingerz · 20/10/2015 19:53

"The thing is, Jamie wouldn't campaign for the onus to deal with this to be on the producers would he?"

Have you got one single sensible suggestion as to what onus could be put on manufacturers and stockists of unhealthy snacks?

Maybe stop selling them through multiple outlets?

Maybe replacing the sugar with sweetener?

Maybe making their products much smaller?

Massive warnings on the packet?

minifingerz · 20/10/2015 19:55

"Because then 1/3 of the products he sells would become either banned or he would be taxed."

Are you suggesting that producers make their own products illegal? Confused