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TWO V I EW S A N D Y O U R OP I N IO N

THE TASK

Some people think the government should subsidise fruit

and vegetables to make healthy food more affordable.
Others argue that the government should tax unhealthy
food instead.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant

examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write
at least 250 words.

If you haven’t seen the YouTube video describing how this essay was written,
watch it here.

SAMPLE ANSWER
Health issues arising from consuming excessive amounts of junk food are a
cause of great concern in many countries. There are calls for governments to
either reduce prices of healthy foods through subsidies or to raise the costs of
unhealthy products through taxation. In my opinion, a combination of the two
is the best way forward.
On the one hand, I agree that the tax option can help to reduce the
consumption of potentially harmful foods. For example, the so-called “sugar
tax” imposed in the UK on soft drinks with a high sugar content has had some
positive effects. However, soft drink manufacturers have reacted by reducing
sugar levels to just under the amount liable for tax and, as a result, most
people tend to buy this slightly healthier version without really changing their
overall dietary habits that much. Furthermore, it could be argued that this
policy represents a kind of punishment for those consumers least able to seek
better alternatives for financial reasons.

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TWO V I EW S A N D Y O U R OP I N IO N

Subsidising healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables has, therefore, been
proposed as a policy that would represent a reward rather than a
punishment. Indeed, this strategy of passing on price reductions directly to
the consumer seems to have a greater impact on eating habits, and I see it
as an important step towards encouraging people to eat better. Of course,
one drawback is that persuading governments to spend money, rather than
collect it through taxation, is no simple matter.
To conclude, I believe that the best way forward is to employ both strategies
in tandem. Imposing a tax on unhealthy foods and drinks can discourage
people from buying them, and the money raised can then be used to
subsidise fruit and vegetables, thus making them more attractive for
consumers.

(294 words)

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