Health problems caused by the excessive consuming of fast foods have assumed epidemic proportions all over the world. According to some people, it is important to impose a high taxing on junk food to discourage people from eating such foods. In my opinion, this will deter only the middle and lower income groups.
To begin with, imposing a higher tax will make fast foods unaffordable to poor people. This will force them to cook proper meals at home. While this might cause them some inconvenience, it is actually good for their health. However, the taxes will not discourage affluent consumers from buying fast food. They will continue to consume it. That means increasing the tax on fast meals will have only a marginal effect on its consumption.
Creating awareness about the ill-effects of fast foods is also unlikely to be of much help. Most people who consume fast foods are actually aware of its health consequences. For instance, a survey conducted in Singapore, one of the developed countries in the world, revealed that people are compelled to buy fast foods because of their busy schedule even though they are aware of the health problems.
Perhaps a better solution is to make healthy food more affordable and accessible. One of the main reasons that increase the consumption of fast foods is that they can be cooked in a matter of minutes. Ready-to-eat foods are also available in supermarkets. Many people are consuming fast foods because healthier alternatives are not conveniently available.
To conclude, increasing the tax on fast foods will only deter the low income groups from buying them. If the governments really want to reduce the consumption of fast foods, making healthier alternatives more affordable and accessible is the best solution.
Health
problems caused by the excessive consuming of
fast
foods
have assumed epidemic proportions all over the world. According to
some
people
, it is
important
to impose a high taxing on junk
food
to discourage
people
from eating such
foods
. In my opinion, this will deter
only
the middle and lower income groups.
To
begin
with, imposing a higher
tax
will
make
fast
foods
unaffordable to poor
people
. This will force them to cook proper meals at home. While this might cause them
some
inconvenience, it is actually
good
for their
health
.
However
, the
taxes
will not discourage affluent consumers from buying
fast
food
. They will continue to consume it. That means increasing the
tax
on
fast
meals will have
only
a marginal effect on its consumption.
Creating awareness about the ill-effects of
fast
foods
is
also
unlikely to be of much
help
. Most
people
who consume
fast
foods
are actually aware of its
health
consequences.
For instance
, a survey conducted in Singapore, one of the
developed countries
in the world, revealed that
people
are compelled
to
buy
fast
foods
because
of their busy schedule
even though
they are aware of the
health
problems.
Perhaps a better solution is to
make
healthy
food
more affordable and accessible. One of the main reasons that increase the consumption of
fast
foods
is that they can
be cooked
in a matter of minutes. Ready-to-eat
foods
are
also
available in supermarkets.
Many
people
are consuming
fast
foods
because
healthier alternatives are not
conveniently
available.
To conclude
, increasing the
tax
on
fast
foods
will
only
deter the low income groups from buying them. If the
governments
really
want to
reduce
the consumption of
fast
foods
, making healthier alternatives more affordable and accessible is the best solution.