Angus Reid Poll: Taxing unhealthy foods a bad idea, say half of Canadians

[VANCOUVER – July 27, 2007] – Half of Canadians think it’s a bad idea to tax unhealthy foods to help cut health problems, a new Angus Reid Strategies poll has found.

Earlier this month, researchers from Oxford University published a study suggesting heart and stroke deaths would drop 1.7 per cent if the UK’s 17.5 per cent Value Added Tax was applied to sugary, salty, and fatty foods. But in the online survey of a representative national sample, 50 per cent of respondents say they believe such a tax is a bad idea in Canada. Forty-three per cent of Canadians think the tax is a good idea, while 7 per cent are unsure.

By region, about half from most provinces feel a tax on unhealthy food is a bad idea. BC is divided over the question (45% say it is a good idea, while 49% say it is bad). Only Manitoba and Saskatchewan has a higher number who think the tax is a good idea, with 51 per cent selecting this option when asked.

Canadians aged 18-34 and those in households earning $100,000 or more are also tend to agree that such a tax is a good idea. Fifty-one per cent of young Canadians agree that the tax is a good idea, as well as 53 per cent of those in the highest income bracket.

And NDP supporters are also more likely to agree. Fifty-five per cent of NDP voters say the tax is a good idea, while 55 per cent of Conservative supporters say it is a bad idea. The Liberals are more split on the topic, with 49 per cent saying it is a good idea, and 47 per cent saying it is a bad idea.

More information and detailed breakdown tables on attached PDF.

Contact:  Craig Worden, Vice President, Public Affairs
416-644-4038 or craig.worden@angus-reid.com