We are forced to pay 9* more than the French and 13* more than the Germans

[Harleyman]

Boom sticks. Not broom sticks. You're not much of an American if you don't know what a boom stick is.

 

It went right over your head never heard of a boom stick unless it's one of them things they used to blast tunnels through mountains with. Course I dont be living in the hoods home boy. Ah's just a white honkey that lives in the 'burbs

[Anna Glypta]

Or maybe move to Germany to take advantage of the lower beer tax!

 

Would that stop you starting endless moaning threads on here?

[Rupert_Baehr]

The comparison is specious.

 

What percentage of income does a person earning:

(a) half the median income

(b) the median income and

© twice the median income

pay in taxes? (ALL taxes. - Income tax, NIC, VAT, excise and other duties.)

 

How does that compare with a person in France, Germany (or Finland)?

 

Even then, is there any point in the comparison? - The money taken from an individual in taxes is used by the government to provide services (and to pay the members of the government a sufficiently high salary as ensures that there is never a shortage of applicants for the job )

 

Considering the tax on one or two items hardly gives a fair picture.

 

What tax do you pay on coffee in the UK? - Coffee is taxed heavily in Germany. Is that outrageous or what? The German people are being RIPPED OFF!

 

If you don't want to pay as much tax on beer, how else would you like to pay that tax? Would you like to pay VAT at the 'full rate' on electricity? - Production costs are relatively high in the UK (EU Statistics). Tax represents 4.7% of the price of electricity to the consumer in the UK [lowest in the EU] but it's 56% in Denmark (where beer isn't that cheap ) and it's not far behind in Germany.

 

(Comparative prices at the end of 2011: UK 0.158, Denmark 0.298 Germany 0.253.)

 

Would you like to give up the cheap electricity you get and pay more tax on that?

 

Prices do tend to be high in the UK - but then again, you've got a name to live up to - 'Treasure Island'. All public sector expenditure has to be funded through taxes, and presumably the comparatively small proportion of people not working in the public sector can't pay all the taxes from their income and although those who do work in the public sector pay income tax, they pay it out of money which is raised in taxes, so sales and excise taxes are necessary to make up the shortfall.

 

If you pay comparatively low rates of tax - Very little towards your old-age pension, very little towards care in old age, very little towards healthcare, very little towards unemployment benefit, low taxes on gas and electricity, - then surely you've ample money to spend on beer?

 

And as you say, you can always brew your own.

[FANAdeLdF]

Funny isn't it how every other thread here is about how rubbish the EU is, how our neighbours and those who wish to settle here are a threat, how external forces are sucking us dry etc.

 

But oooh shock horror, UK policy-makers tax alcohol at a higher rate than the French and the Germans do !

[Tradescanthia]

Beer tax ?????...............Couldn't care less, I dont bother with the stuff. They should tax football ticket prices, cricket as well. In fact, why not tax everything I dont do.

I reckon thats as fair as some forummers are on other issues.

 

I dont give a.................

[Vague_Boy]

The Germans dont like dole scroungers though

 

Might be one of the reasons why they're the only country in the EU with money.

[Cyclone]

As Rupert said, this comparison is meaningless without considering the entire tax system.

 

The French just increased their corporation tax to 60%, beer tax is completely irrelevant when there are massive differences in important taxes like that.

[I1L2T3]

I went to a supermarket in Munich and the array of bottled beers from all over Germany, Europe and the rest of the world was mermerising. The prices were roughly 50% of what we pay for decent bottled beer. It's not fair.

[Cyclone]

I went to a supermarket in Munich and the array of bottled beers from all over Germany, Europe and the rest of the world was mermerising. The prices were roughly 50% of what we pay for decent bottled beer. It's not fair.

 

I went to a supermarket in Portugal and the selection of chocolate and crisps was very poor, and it cost 2.5e for a bag of kettle chips or 1.5e for a snickers. It's not fair.

[monkey104]

I paid 50 cents for an onion in France! How much tax did I pay on that then?