Britain pays more for food and drink

[Still Waters]

Alcohol prices costs in the UK are higher than most of Europe, new figures revealed today.

Families feeling the pinch will also be alarmed by research showing Brits pay on average more for milk, cheese and eggs than the European Union average.

And smokers face some of the highest prices in the whole of EU as taxes rise in an attempt to persuade cash-strapped addicts to quit.

http://www.dailymail...place-shop.html

[spud the mackem]

Petrol has to be one of the dearest items,£1-34 a litre.I remember when it was cheaper than milk,but your car cannot run on milk,ha.

[skookum]

You can see why Europe are desperate for us to stay in and maintain the trade agreements. We still remain their treasure island.

[shrooma]

smokers face some of the highest prices in the whole of EU as taxes rise in an attempt to persuade cash-strapped addicts to quit.

.

of COURSE that's why they keep putting tax hikes on fags.....

[Frank Merton]

Taxing cigarettes too highly just brings a black market (new opportunity for organized crime) and penalizes the poor and their children.

In general, using tax policy to achieve social aims is a bad idea. Use it only to collect needed revenues.

[shrooma]

that's quite true frank.

in the UK, the black market for imported cigarettes & tobacco is now estimated to be worth more than the market for drugs!

[FLOMBIE]

Taxing cigarettes too highly just brings a black market (new opportunity for organized crime) and penalizes the poor and their children.

In general, using tax policy to achieve social aims is a bad idea. Use it only to collect needed revenues.

The cigarettes black market is huge all over Europe, and here in Germany it is mostly run by Vietnamese.

Edit: I just thought that might interest you. No offense intended, of course.

Edited June 23, 2013 by FLOMBIE

[Beckys_Mom]

Irony - The government causes high taxes on tobacco..Forces people to buy from the black market because it's cheaper....!!!

If everyone quit smoking, the government will loose a lot on tax..You are talking billions each year..If that stopped, I would hate to see what the government would slap the tax on next?

[shrooma]

a facebook tax would cover it BM, and i'm certain the govt. moneymen are desperately trying to come up with one.....

[Beckys_Mom]

a facebook tax would cover it BM, and i'm certain the govt. moneymen are desperately trying to come up with one.....

They wouldn't be able to do it though.

[shrooma]

They wouldn't be able to do it though.

.

only because they haven't thought of a way they can get away with yet.....

:-)

[Beckys_Mom]

.

only because they haven't thought of a way they can get away with yet.....

:-)

I hear they are looking into charging taxes for fresh air...You breath it, we tax it..lol

Every breath is costly... I can hear Sting bringing out a new song - Every breath you take, every move you make, we'll be taxing you !!

Edited June 23, 2013 by Beckys_Mom

[skookum]

Another interesting one I read the other day on the UK's tax and the shams it causes.

The Vehicle tax groups L and M were brought in for vehicles produced after 2006. The current rates are £475 or £495 per annum. It was slipped in to combat the apparent anger of the 4x4 or Chelsea tractor and school runs, and dubbed then gas guzzlers.

Unfortunately many family cars also fell into this bracket. 7 years on many of these vehicles, which are perfectly serviceable and still less polluting than older vehicles that enjoy the lower tax rates are being scrapped. They have come to a point were their value is sometimes only 40% more than their yearly tax rate.

Dealers are taking in more and more against brand new vehicles with the intention of scrapping them due to zero demand.

A family member runs a small dealership and has 3 family saloons destined for auction or scrap due to this. They are all in perfectly good running order, do 30mpg or more yet being at the end of production of that line or model did not benefit from the newer technology. one is only 5 years old and has sat on the forecourt with price tag of only £999. One 18 months older would go for around £2-£2.5k. Initially they get interest until the VED band is discovered and they punters soon make a dash for it.

What kind of pollution does it cause to scrap a perfectly good vehicle and replace it with a new one?

http://www.autoexpre...force-cars-road

Edited June 25, 2013 by skookum