VAT will be applied to sports supplements from October...

[Gulliver]

... in the UK. Or so I believe.

So stock up, I guess.

[JP]

wonder how it is in different countries, is VAT added on supps in most countries?

[baldy]

Don't really see this as a big deal.

[fredrikw]

wonder how it is in different countries, is VAT added on supps in most countries?

Probably, and in my opinion hopefully. Sport supplements is a real snake oil business that I see no reason at all that they should be given tax exemptions.

[JP]

yeah in general i agree, for some weird pills and stuff. But if you have some carb mix, or a bit of protein, its kind of food, so if food is VAT free so should those things be.

[vCLaW]

Not all food is VAT free anyway. eg you have to pay VAT on biscuits, crisps, ice cream and fruit juice.

[Talyn]

Considering most sports supplements are garbage, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Bit annoyed that things like protein powder is classified as a supplement though considering it's food. But then again it is dirt cheap in the UK anyway.

[Gulliver]

Yeah, it's only going up by 20% and I agree about it being a "non-essential" food group or whatever, which is loosely how the VAT thing is decided. Just thought I'd inform y'all.

[fredrikw]

oh, so you don't have VAT on food...

I think there are different ways of viewing this. For me, adding VAT is the norm and any VAT reduction is a way of using tax money to make certain goods cheaper in order to encourage people to buy them. Seeing it as a public cost, I see really no reason to not having VAT on supplements, even if they can be seen as some weird form of food

[JP]

food should be VAT free because it is the best way to help low income people, we all eat.

but then when you get this VAT on sports supplements but no VAT on deep fried chips, burgers, crisps, candy (but i believe VAT on chocolate? cant remember how they go so might be wrong...)

[baldy]

Not all food is VAT free anyway. eg you have to pay VAT on biscuits, crisps, ice cream and fruit juice.

Sounds like all the food I eat is taxed

[fredrikw]

food should be VAT free because it is the best way to help low income people, we all eat.

I agree. or at least all vegan food. and no supplements, you bulking types should pay.

[JP]

ha, thats a great approach, all vegan food should be vat free

[Big Good Wolf]

I defy anyone to make sense of the UK rules on VAT on food.

Flapjacks = Zero rated
Cereal, muesli and similar sweet tasting bars = Standard rated

Marshmallow teacakes (with a crumb biscuit or cake base topped with a dome of marshmallow coated in either chocolate, sugar strands or coconut) = Zero rated
“Snowballs” without such a base are classed as confectionery = Standard rated

Chocolate chip biscuits where the chips are either included in the dough or pressed into the surface before baking = Zero rated
All wholly or partly coated biscuits including biscuits decorated in a pattern with chocolate or some similar product = Standard rated

[Big Good Wolf]

It gets worse.
It seems VAT rate can depend on how identical products are displayed.

Sweet tasting dried fruit held out for sale as snacking and home baking = Zero rated
Sweet tasting dried fruit held out for sale as confectionery/snacking = Standard rate