# There should be a law........ **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 18, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597 "2013-08-18T23:14:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/1 "2013-08-18T23:14:09Z")
That says what you pay is the advertised or listed price. That is the way it used to be when I grew up. Now , after we accept the retailers offer to sell , we are gouged with 1. a certain Federal Goods and Services Tax 2. a probable Provincial Sales Tax 3. a possible eco fee only the retailer knows about 4. In the case of pop a recycling fee, ON TOP OF A BOTTLE DEPOSIT If we have to pay for all this shit, why can’t it just be included in the price ?? Like gasoline and beer Like the way it used to be in simpler times. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/2 "2013-08-18T23:22:19Z")
Provincial = you’re in Canada, eh? European prices are all-inclusive by law. What an eco fee? Bottle deposit and a recycling fee? At the same time? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/3 "2013-08-19T00:13:24Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Provincial = you’re in Canada, eh? > European prices are all-inclusive by law. And I found that remarkably refreshing when in Europe over New Years’ 2011-12. If an item was priced 5 Euro, it was 5 Euro… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/4 "2013-08-19T00:55:33Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Provincial = you’re in Canada, eh? > European prices are all-inclusive by law. > > What an eco fee? Bottle deposit and a recycling fee? At the same time? Just today I bought a tv for $230 plus GST plus PST plus a $9 eco (environmental) fee at Costco. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/5 "2013-08-19T01:10:10Z")
Blame it on having a nation with the second largest area in the world. (The fourth largest, the U.S., suffers the same problem.) Ads are created to be played across the entire country, from Newfoundland and Labrador to Yukon, (or Florida to Alaska). Each of those regional government entities is allowed to asses their own taxes, (and, in many cases, municipalities have a similar authority). While the GST could be included in the ads, relevant Provincial/Territorial taxes probably differ from place to place, making it impossible to provide a single price on national ads. Europe does not have the same issue. (It is possible that municipalities could have separate tax rates, but I have not heard that that is the case.) A producer can advertise in France and the price plus taxes are uniform across France. The same is true in Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/6 "2013-08-19T03:31:27Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > 1. In the case of pop a recycling fee, ON TOP OF A BOTTLE DEPOSIT You know, if you return the bottle not only do you not have to pay a recycling fee, you get your deposit back! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/7 "2013-08-19T03:37:45Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Blame it on having a nation with the second largest area in the world. What does area have to do with it? Australia, the 6th largest, has uniform GST included in the advertised price. There are no other local sales taxes, since the GST replaced them all. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/8 "2013-08-19T03:47:56Z")
Airlines have been getting real bad about this, a fee for this, a tax on that, and an airport fee of some sort, making it difficult to figure out what it’s REALLY going to cost you to take that flight. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/9 "2013-08-19T04:05:08Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > You know, if you return the bottle not only do you not have to pay a recycling fee, you get your deposit back! :smack: Huh ? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/10 "2013-08-19T04:15:17Z")
Some of my favourite customers during my retail days were those that _insisted_ that I had to sell them something for the marked price, no matter what the context or situation. They found it on the shelves, it was marked, I had to sell them the item for that price, it was **T** he **L** aw! Are you telling me they repealed it? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/11 "2013-08-19T04:28:48Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > And I found that remarkably refreshing when in Europe over New Years’ 2011-12. If an item was priced 5 Euro, it was 5 Euro… They do that to hide the socialism. Whenever you innocently buy an Orangina, you’re helping to fund unwed illegal immigrant homosexual abortions. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/12 "2013-08-19T05:29:55Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > What does area have to do with it? Australia, the 6th largest, has uniform GST included in the advertised price. OK. Area and age. You whippersnapper countries with no serious history have been able to suppress the desires of your states for a measure of local autonomy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/13 "2013-08-19T05:37:15Z")
It is even beter than that in Aus. If you are (even accidentally) charged more than the listed price you can get it free. Which is just lovely. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/14 "2013-08-19T06:08:40Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > And I found that remarkably refreshing when in Europe over New Years’ 2011-12. If an item was priced 5 Euro, it was 5 Euro… Their consumption taxes are often a lot higher in comparison, though. The hidden tax on that item might have been nearly a whole euro. Having to add a little pocket change on top of each price isn’t quite the same as having to pay 24%; that’s Real Money on even a fairly small transaction. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/15 "2013-08-19T07:47:55Z")
> [@madrabbitwoman](#): > > It is even beter than that in Aus. If you are (even accidentally) charged more than the listed price you can get it free. Only in supermarkets that have signed the voluntary scanning code of practice. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/16 "2013-08-19T23:13:34Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > What does area have to do with it? Australia, the 6th largest, has uniform GST included in the advertised price. There are no other local sales taxes, since the GST replaced them all. IIRC Australian states surrendered their ability to levy their own taxes to federal government; Canadian provinces (& American states) have not. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/17 "2013-08-20T00:34:38Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Blame it on having a nation with the second largest area in the world. > (The fourth largest, the U.S., suffers the same problem.) > > Ads are created to be played across the entire country, from Newfoundland and Labrador to Yukon, (or Florida to Alaska). Each of those regional government entities is allowed to asses their own taxes, (and, in many cases, municipalities have a similar authority). While the GST could be included in the ads, relevant Provincial/Territorial taxes probably differ from place to place, making it impossible to provide a single price on national ads. In addition to the advertising, in the US there’s also the issue of tax- exempt customers causing the prices to be set “plus tax”. Even in places where prices seem to be "tax-included " there is usually a breakdown in a tiny font so that it actually reads " small soda $2.00 $1.84 plus .16 tax . If it wasn’t for tax- exempt purchases, you could ring up tax-included prices and figure out later how much tax to send to the government - 8% tax, $216 in the drawer, $16 of it is tax. Doesn’t work if some customers are exempt- it could be $216 in taxed sales, $216 in exempt sales or any combination in between. It can be done with a lot of record keeping regarding tax free purchases, but it’s more work than ringing up $1.84 and .16 tax and letting the cash register keep track… It’s entirely possible ( even likely) that Canada also exempts charities, government agencies etc. from these taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/18 "2013-08-20T01:46:14Z")
The GST actually replaced an included tax on many of the goods it now applies to. At the time there was a big public push to have the taxes shown separately so you would know how much was going to the government and how much you were actually spending with the vendor. Honestly as long as I know which situation I’m in it’s all the same anyway. It’s not like if they advertise it differently it will cost me less. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/19 "2013-08-20T05:38:01Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Huh ? You do know what a deposit is, right? It’s refundable. You pay the deposit when you purchase the bottled beverage, drink the beverage, return the empty bottle, and receive the deposit back. :what: ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597/20 "2013-08-20T07:29:27Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Provincial = you’re in Canada, eh? > European prices are all-inclusive by law. > > What an eco fee? Bottle deposit and a recycling fee? At the same time? Yes. We have the same thing here in the province of Alberta. If I buy milk, I pay not only the price of the milk, but also a 25c deposit and a 3c recycling fee. I get the 25c back when I take the empty milk carton to a recycling depot (nasty, dirty places with surly employees who like to “miscount” your returnables in order to short you), but the 3c is gone for good. Same for any beverage, really: soft drinks, sports drinks, juice, etc. > [@alphaboi867](#): > > IIRC Australian states surrendered their ability to levy their own taxes to federal government; Canadian provinces (& American states) have not. In Canada, according to the Constitution, provinces can levy their own taxes. Sales taxes are among these (see Constitution s. 92(2)). In other words, without a Constitutional amendment, the provinces can levy and collect taxes as much as they like. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-should-be-a-law/666597.md?page=2)