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It's a specific consumption tax. It's not like they are proposing a 2% hike on income tax.
by kspaans 11y ago
It's a specific consumption tax. It's not like they are proposing a 2% hike on income tax.
- duncan_bayne 11y agoEven worse - in addition to it being more tax, it's in a form that disproportionately harms poor people.
- Legogris 11y agoIf making more nutritionally balanced foods cheaper relatively to foods with a lot of associated health problems is taken as "harm", then yes.
- rustynails 11y agoIf a family is struggling financially, a sugar tax could easily push them over the edge. This strikes me as an increase in taxes for the poor as the impact relative to their income (as a %) would be significantly higher. So, the financial strain and stress would likely offset any benefit from reduced sugar for the poor. There were good posts about people on the poverty line on HN yesterday as a case in point.
- kspaans 11y agoIf the tax is restricted to "high sugar soft drinks"[0] do you still think that there wouldn't be alternatives for a struggling family to purchase? 0 - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470173/Annexe_2._Fiscal_evidence_review.pdf https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm...
- duncan_bayne 11y agoSo you really think it's ethical to use taxation and the threat of bankruptcy to coerce people to change their sugar habits? Honestly?
- DanBC 11y agoJust checking: Are you talking about the UK?
- duncan_bayne 11y agoMe? Not really - I don't think the morality of compulsory taxation is dependent upon geography.
- DanBC 11y agoNo, not you. Rustynails.
- kspaans 11y agoWell, no argument here about consumption taxes on "food" being regressive. :) Edit: adding scare quotes because coke may not be food, but bread is!
- kspaans 11y agoOut of curiosity, are you against higher taxes on alcohol? It's definitely regressive, but there is also a more definite link to harmful effects (side-stepping somewhat the issue of taxes on necessary items like food).
- duncan_bayne 11y agoI'm against compulsory taxes in general, and especially so called 'sin taxes' on alcohol, tobacco and gambling.
- marcosdumay 11y ago"Harm" here defined by making those poor people buy more expensive but much healthier food. It is indeed harmful from some point of view. But reducing it into an unconditional label is too much unidimensional thinking.