Most people resort to unhealthy fast food and diets in their busy schedule without acknowledging the consequences for their health and society. Some suggest the solution to this is to tax such meals, while others believe this is not fair for the consumers. Though it may be against freedom of choice, I believe it is effective to deter ignorant customers and preserve government resources.
Many claim that attempting to influence the citizens’ dietary habits is against their democratic right to make decisions for themselves. The constitution of most countries gives freedom to its people to choose their lifestyles and what they eat. They have a right to select their meals and take responsibility for their health without government intervention. Another argument is that a marginal tax and slight increase in price is unlikely to alter the inelastic demand of customers, and therefore the intended effect of reducing consumption will potentially not occur.
On the other hand, governments need to intervene to educate the consumers and manage their own funds. Diners generally are unaware that food items, such as burgers and pizza, are highly detrimental in the long run, but levying a tax can force them to consider the negative effects. This is because authorities usually apply an excise duty on harmful goods, and consequently would encourage residents to explore the disadvantages of oily dishes, possibly leading to them avoiding such meals. Additionally, while it is an individual’s right to consume their preferred edibles, the health scare associated with these particular cuisines compels governments to allocate a major proportion of their budget to medical facilities like hospitals and medication, which would have otherwise been used for development, for example, of schools and infrastructure. Even if demand does not reduce, the revenue generated can be utilized to treat the affected patients. Therefore, the tax could avoid the careless diets of some prevent the growth potential for the whole nation.
In conclusion, it is true that constraining food intake may be unfair in certain cases, but when the issues of poor nutritional habits curtail the progress of our society, I feel that a fat tax should be imposed to educate the oblivious public.