to think there should not be VAT on fruit juice?

[Talkinpeace]

Just binning a supermarket till receipt when I noticed that in my big weekly shop, the things that had VAT on were:

• toiletries
  
• booze
  
• fresh squeezed orange juice
  

all the rest of my food was zero rated

why is Orange juice deemed a 'luxury item' : if it was 17% cheaper (with no VAT on it) then more people would get their five a day.

[NuhichNuhaymuh]

Tea and coffee are zero. Fizzy an cordial are zero standard rate

[INeedThatForkOff]

Is there VAT on fizzy drinks, cordials, tea and coffee?

[Trills]

Dividing foods into "healthy" and "unhealthy" is oversimplistic.

I agree that there should be no VAT at all on sanitary products.

[ILikeBirds]

Any system that decides cake is not a luxury is fine by me

[KobayashiMaru]

Soups and yoghurt are not beverages, they are food.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Juicing oranges makes them a luxury item? So anything not in its original state should be a luxury item? That would include most items in the shop not found in either the produce section or the butcher counter.

[foreverondiet]

Because its not very healthy as devoid of fibre, and full of (fruit) sugar. Best to avoid altogether.

[Areyoumadorisitme]

talkinpeace OP is an accountant.... So am I, hence the explanation

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

Peronally I think sanitary products should be VAT free. Does anyone know why they arent?

[Baabaapinksheep]

Blankie - vat is charged at 5 percent on sanitary products, not the norm rate.

[Catsdontcare]

From the point of view of no vat would make it easier for people to get their 5 a day you are wrong BUT as tinned fruit seems to offend you so much I conceed that it should be treated equal to fruit juice in being a not particularly healthy option.

Fruit juice is also bad for your liver not just your teeth.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Really at least 4 of your 5 a day should come from veggies not fruit. Juice really bad for your teeth as it rots them faster than sugary sweets.

[VonHerrBurton]

I was answering your point from a 'if it was 17% cheaper more people would get their five a day' angle. So neither oj nor tinned syrupy fruit are good ways to do so.

[Talkinpeace]

vonherr
but tinned fruit in sugar syrup is fine?
or high fat cheese?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

That vat maths just blew my head off.

[Blankiefan]

Never mind orange juice; there's VAT on tampons! Luxury schmuxury...

[VonHerrBurton]

Absolutely shouldn't be a good option for five a day. My friend who's kids won't touch anything except chicken nuggets, burgets and the like thought a big glass of fresh juice each morn would be a good idea. When get dc were 4 and 6 they had a mouth full of fillings and an extraction each.

It is a luxury item and should not be promoted as a five a day choice.

[NightmareSpoon]

Soup and yogurts are not beverages

[Catsdontcare]

I don't eat tinned peaches either.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

Beverages.

[Talkinpeace]

Beverages are subject to VAT
milk is not
nor are soups and yogurts

[NuhichNuhaymuh]

Ok so Ill say it again. Fruit juice is a beverage. Beverages are subject to VAT.

Tinned peaches are classed as food.

[Talkinpeace]

sirzy
I suspect the VAT on fresh juice has more to do with trade tariffs than health!

For many years (this name has existed since 2005 and its always me) I've advocated VAT on all foods with more than seven ingredients.

[Sirzy]

Surely now your arguing that more things SHOULD have VAT added rather than that fruit juice shouldn't.

[Trills]

YA probably BU but I do appreciate your maths :)