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.

[Noras]

We need radical thinking now.

The population is being physically harmed by uber processed foods. Many companies who produce the food are US owned. The US having poisoned is then sells us the drugs to maintain lofe and not cure any conditions.

Crisps - many US owned companies
Soft drinks - mainly US owned companies
Things like tomato ketchup - mainly US owned companies
Sweetened yoghurt - mainly US owned compnaies
Chocolate - Cadburys - say no more
Oven chips - US owned

The Gov needs to tax the hell out of carb heavy processed junk food and reduced VAT on fruit / veg / legumes etc.

Its glaringly apparent that there is something significantly wrong with the current proportions/ floor space of poor food choices in supermarkets.

Most of the aisles is taken up with selling pretend plastic foods.

Why is the Gov allowing this and not taxing this stuff to the hilt and spending that tax money on the NHS?

It makes me believe that we have a corrupt Gov not prepared to tackle large food consortiums and thus allowing the British public to be poisoned into poor health / diabetes etc where they become customers for large US pharmacy.

The whole thing is crazy. People need to be able to cook better and stop wasting money on processed junk. In that same vein, we need to tax more all take away places especially McDonald’s, Burger King, all coffee shops selling mass produced cakes with palm oil etc.

Who’s forcing people to buy this though? My fridge and cupboards don’t have this stuff, apart from the occasional treat, and why should we be stopped from buying the occasional treat by making it prohibitive because some people actively choose to stuff their trolleys full of it?

You're right on the food, but I guess it won't happen. But we only get about 10% of our pharmaceuticals from the USA.
We also get loads from Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, France, China and India.

I think the comparison to tobacco that some draw is correct - the product being sold is known to be harmful to health. The same approach could be taken - tax, labelling, advertising restrictions, placement restrictions.

The fact these products are significantly cheaper than healthier foods creates skewed consumer behaviour.

This, it’s free choice, none of the people eating this are being forced to. And it’s not the cheapest option before people use that excuse. Morrisons were selling bags of apples, pears and satsumas for 5p each on their More scheme!

It won't happen that American compagnirs fund NHS.
People could think twice about their health but...

It is far cheaper per calorie for regular price items.

It is heavily promoted. Often discounted.

Some local areas have no shops that sell fresh produce.

Do people work it out like that?

Not really I think.

Others don’t want that, there’s people who really seem
to want to head for the days when the state get to decide what people can and can’t eat.

The average 10yo knows a mars bar is more filling than a satsuma, yes.

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

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.

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.

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.

What is your point?

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

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.

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?

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.

Do you drink coffee @Noras??

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.

We have to educate people. Not force them.

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.

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

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

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.