Closed petition Implement a 5% junk food tax and use this money to fund a healthy food subsidy

Closed on 6 November 2019

Junk food remains cheaper in many cases than healthy food, and with poverty levels in the UK rising, more people are buying junk food over healthy food. Obesity rates are rising, and this is creating pressure on the NHS and lowering productivity in the UK. It's time to make healthy food cheaper.

In 2016, 26% of adults in the UK were classified as obese and this number is only continuing to rise. 20% of children leaving primary school are also obese. This all creates a drain on NHS funding to the tune of £6.1 billion in 2014/15 and lowers overall productivity while shortening people's lifespans.

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/10/e014632
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-obesity-and-the-food-environment/health-matters-obesity-and-the-food-environment--2