Live data from Hacker News

France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

bbc.com

111–120 of 177 posts

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#111
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Beat me to it. Before we were obese, we were already smokers, alcoholics, gambling addicts, sex fiends, violent thugs, opium lovers... if there is anything we can abuse, we will. Animals don't know when they're having too much of a good thing, evolutionary instincts are honed on getting as much as you can today because you could get none tomorrow.

And modern psychological research have shown the corporations just how to game those instincts for profits...

What profits? If they're charging you the same whether you get three refills or zero, that sounds like a pretty shitty way to get people to spend more on soda.

We have free refills in Canada and they're basically just abused by teenagers and poor people so three people can drink from one soda.

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#112

I'd rather live in a country that provides comprehensive free health care and limits soda consumption, than one that allows me the "freedom" to consume as much sugar as possible and makes me pay for the consequences. I must be a radical hippie leftist: I think we should tax the sh-t out of refined sugar and subsidize organic vegetable farms.

I don't want to live the way the government wants me to.

Is that what you think this it? Do you actually think this is unjust and oppressive? To me it looks like a government doing what it is designed to do: govern. AKA "conduct the policy, actions, and affairs of (a state, organization, or people)."

Perhaps you should describe to me the devastating consequences of this law, so that I may better understand your suffering.

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#113
post #5

Why do they mention only the country with the _second_ lowest obesity rate?

Probably because some insignificant (read: small) country has the lowest rate. It's easier to make comparisons when the population size is in the same order of magnitude.

On the other hand the list the world's greatest superpower, Malta, as having the highest obesity rate.

BBC, where is your consistency? :)

(BTW, Romania has the lowest rate, and it's not a micro-state :) )

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#114
post #105

> man has been proven by several dozens of studies If so Trump can back his actions by "several dozens of studies", then its ok right ? > If your definition of "freedom" is "doing whatever the fuck I want without any limitations no matter the consequences", then I fail to see how this is a value worth pursuing. Individual never do right. Collective never do wrong. Hmmm. Leave us alone. Please.

What does Trump have to do with this? This happened in France, it's in the headline. Trump would be against this, he'd likely allow Coca Cola lobbyists to write FDA policy if they were in his corner.

This was not about Trump. This was about the state he represents.

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#115

I'd rather live in a country that provides comprehensive free health care and limits soda consumption, than one that allows me the "freedom" to consume as much sugar as possible and makes me pay for the consequences. I must be a radical hippie leftist: I think we should tax the sh-t out of refined sugar and subsidize organic vegetable farms.

Not trying to start a flame war, but to offer a counterpoint: I don't believe that taxes should be used as a means to control people's behavior. If you put huge taxes on products that you deem to be socially unacceptable, you are simply making it harder for lower income families to access them, while wealthier individuals can continue to access them with little to no consequence. Maybe I'm interpreting this incorrect…

I think taxes should be used to control behaviour but the money raised should then go into a Basic Income Scheme.

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#116

I remember my vacation in the states (in the South). I got served a absolutely massive glass of coca-cola with my dinner. When I had finally managed to finish it a waiter came and refilled the bloody thing when I wasn't paying attention. How can you enjoy your meal with that much to drink?

Yeah, I remember that too. When the waiter put the gun to my head, I hurried up and slammed the soda, so he could refill it.

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#118
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And modern psychological research have shown the corporations just how to game those instincts for profits...

What profits? If they're charging you the same whether you get three refills or zero, that sounds like a pretty shitty way to get people to spend more on soda. We have free refills in Canada and they're basically just abused by teenagers and poor people so three people can drink from one soda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_lunch

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#119
post #76

I'd rather live in a country that provides comprehensive free health care and limits soda consumption, than one that allows me the "freedom" to consume as much sugar as possible and makes me pay for the consequences. I must be a radical hippie leftist: I think we should tax the sh-t out of refined sugar and subsidize organic vegetable farms.

I suppose I have to agree with you. You apparently want a nanny state and to tax me to pay for it.

When the population is incapable of caring for itself, when do you jump in as state? If the population is harming itself, when do you stop it?

If you see a person is injuring themselves deliberately, will you stop them or do you let this person continue?

Re: France bans unlimited sugary drink refills

#120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

socialist = banning unlimited soda refills ? seriously ?

Yes, nanny-state, authoritarianism is part of the socialist ideological grouping. Socialists have always advocated the state making little, "lifestyle" decisions like this. The state "knows better", and you have lots of people agreeing. Look at the top comment and its children comments on this story. You have people applauding this law and saying that people are too stupid to know when to not get a refill. These are…

Fighting for better health is authoritarianism now? that's a new one. I did not hear that argument when countries are raising cigarette taxes. Australia with one of the highest cigarette tax is also a socialist country then?

The laissez faire regarding food in the US does not seem to work very well since the US is one of the worst developed country regarding obesity.

Post reply on HN