Finland to Tax Chocolate

Katherine Mangu-Ward | September 23, 2010

The government of Finland has decided to increase taxes on chocolate and other candy, along with soft drinks, juice, and ice cream. But at least they're honest about why they're doing it:

And the reason for the return of the cocoa tax? It's seemingly got nothing to do with health concerns; "the aim is to increase the revenues from taxes, particularly in order to cover the gap caused by the abolition of the employer contributions to the basic pension insurance scheme," [Finnish newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat] says.

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Blue-collar guy in commercial|9.23.10 @ 1:03PM|#

Hey, you got your wiener in my chocolate!

Metrosexual guy in commercial|9.23.10 @ 1:25PM|#

You got your chocolate on my wiener!

|9.23.10 @ 1:06PM|#

And the reason for the return of the cocoa tax? It's seemingly got nothing to do with health concerns; "the aim is to increase the revenues from taxes, particularly in order to cover the gap caused by the abolition of the employer contributions to the basic pension insurance scheme," [Finnish newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat] says.

You mean free health care isn't free? Who'd a thunk it?

affenkopf|9.23.10 @ 1:50PM|#

This is about pensions not health care (of course the same principle applies to both)

Know Homo|9.23.10 @ 1:23PM|#

What the fuck is a Weiner Nougat?

|9.23.10 @ 1:27PM|#

"Wein" = "Vienna"

"Weiner" = "Viennese"

affenkopf|9.23.10 @ 1:52PM|#

"Wein" = "Wine"

|9.23.10 @ 1:53PM|#

joe's law strikes again.

auf Deutsch|9.23.10 @ 2:41PM|#

"Wien" = "Vienna"
"Wiener" = "Viennese"

Binky|9.23.10 @ 4:46PM|#

I'm pretty sure he was the exchange student in my sophomore year.

|9.23.10 @ 1:28PM|#

Tasing chocolate would send me to the barricades.

NeonCat|9.23.10 @ 1:50PM|#

It shouldn't melt all that much of it.

Now I'm wondering about chocolate armor to absorb taser barbs…

Spencer Smith|9.23.10 @ 2:00PM|#

|9.23.10 @ 2:48PM|#

Tasing chocolate

You rang?

Virginia|9.23.10 @ 2:33PM|#

Well, after having recently stumbled upon my wife's secret chocolate stash, I can honestly say that that shit would go over here like a hurricane.

|9.23.10 @ 3:21PM|#

[Sotto voce]: We need the dues.

|9.23.10 @ 3:37PM|#

I am partly of Finnish ancestry but I'm at a complete loss what to make of it. I mean, how often to you meet a Finn? What are they like?

|9.23.10 @ 3:38PM|#

Quiet yet with an uncanny ability to kill Russians.

The Gobbler|9.23.10 @ 4:07PM|#

My old man used to invite this old finnish guy to Thanksgiving dinner back in the 70's. He was pretty quiet, but with a great sense of humor. And while I never asked, I bet he'd tell you in his younger days he killed him som Russians.

|9.23.10 @ 4:16PM|#

You can't be a Finnish citizen unless you or a parent have killed a Russian.

|9.23.10 @ 4:46PM|#

Don't mess with Finland

Apogee|9.23.10 @ 5:37PM|#

Wiener Nougat.

Finnish? or Finish?

Ted S.|9.23.10 @ 9:09PM|#

Finland's state liquor monopoly did the same thing last year.

However, Finns in the Helsinki area (~20% of the population) just take the ferry to Estonia to stock up on cheap booze.

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