Same should be done in Ireland. An easy tax.

If governments want to tax then let them go ahead and tax. What sticks in my throat is this constant effort, and no one does this better than the Irish, to camouflage their addiction to confiscating the earnings of their subjects under some faux moralism. A lot of the obesity problems in the west will disappear with the new age of poverty and austerity we’ve already entered anyway. Obesity is, and was, a symptom of excess credit, easy money and the excess leisure that these bought.

There should be a tax (and/or a restriction) on caffeine-based energy drinks.

At one of the highest consumers per capita in the world of them, we have no idea of the effects on our (childrens) bodies or general health with the ingredients used.

Every time there’s a new tax it’s for “our” health or “our” finances or “our” safety etc..
Aren’t we so lucky to have a government that’s sole objective is to save us from ourselves,
How kind, I bet other countries are so jealous :)

This anti obesity tax will also be levied on diet drinks.

Nothing new here. Just more taxes.

Not a bad idea if the money raised is ring fenced but I doubt it will

Yeah lets tax everything that’s bad for you. I’m not obese or even fat but this certainly wouldn’t stop me from drinking coke. It’s like rising the price of cigarettes, doesn’t deter most people. Again and again governments are going to tax the fu*k out of us all. Why can’t people be more educated about the dangers of bad food and also if healthier foods were made cheaper.

What a disgusting example of big-government. If you want to reduce obesity then educate your citizens. If you want to reduce the burden of obese people on the healthcare system than charge them for obesity related illness treatment.
A tax on all softdrinks will also tax all of those who dronk softdrinks but who are not obese and is hence inequitable.

Rising prices on soft drinks makes alcohol looks affordable so obesity can change in alcoholism :) Which one is better ?