Household Groceries - stock up now to beat VAT increase

Primrose

In view of the fact that the reduced VAT rate will end at the end of December & we could see a big hike in VAT after that date, can we have a new thread to remind ourselves of the domestic/grocery and everyday household items which will be affected so we can stock up now at the reduced rate, as many people don't realise that some of these are VATable?

Can we kick off with:

Crisps & similar savoury snacks
Chocolate biscuits
Chocolate

Am sure others will be able to add to the list.

Trow

Ice cream
Cereal Bars
Dried fruit for eating (marketed as snack food as opposed to for cooking with)
Alcohol
Flavourings for milk shakes (although milk shakes are zero rated!)
Bottled water
Fizzy drinks
Squashes
'Popped' popcorn
Flavoured/sweetened rice cakes
Roasted and salted nuts

Note - tortilla chips and twiglets are zero rated... there are a lot of funny rules with VAT! The oddest (IMO) being - the process of smoking salmon is zero rated, but to make kippers (i.e. smoking herring) is standard rated. Where's the logic??? Salmon is regarded as a luxury foodstuff while herring was a staple part of many people's diets (certainly where I live) not so many years ago. Go figure!

helyg

Or you could just make your own from ingredients which are zero rated...

Penelope_Penguin

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helyg wrote: »

Or you could just make your own from ingredients which are zero rated...

and a darned sight healthier,tastier and cheaper, god I'm just to mean to spend on snacky things when I make my own .Cheese straws cost very little to make.Yesterday I bought some powder stuff from the Weald of Kent Show that you add a teaspoon to Greek yoghurt or mayo to make your own dips with, so instead of buying big platters of dips I can now make as much or as little as I want with no waste.

Primrose

Blimey - I'm glad I started this thread. I had NO IDEA that bottled water carried a VAT levy. That has really opened my eyes, especially when it's free from the tap. Must wake myself up and smell the coffee - hope that is still NIL VAT rated ! That's one good thing about being a member of Costco. As you walk around the aisles, all the VAT items are very clearly labelled so you know just how much tax you're paying.

derrick

Primrose wrote: »

Blimey - I'm glad I started this thread. I had NO IDEA that bottled water carried a VAT levy. That has really opened my eyes, especially when it's free from the tap. Must wake myself up and smell the coffee - hope that is still NIL VAT rated ! That's one good thing about being a member of Costco. As you walk around the aisles, all the VAT items are very clearly labelled so you know just how much tax you're paying.

So you don't pay water rates:D

Nothing free in Rip Off Britain

Enterprise_1701C

It will be interesting to see if the shops that did not pass on the reduction will have the nerve to pass on the increase.

derrick

Jane_Blackford wrote: »

It will be interesting to see if the shops that did not pass on the reduction will have the nerve to pass on the increase.

I can easily see them doing so, then blame the government.

moonrakerz

Primrose wrote: »

Crisps & similar savoury snacks
Chocolate biscuits
Chocolate

Trow wrote: »

Ice cream
Cereal Bars
Dried fruit for eating (marketed as snack food as opposed to for cooking with)
Alcohol
Flavourings for milk shakes (although milk shakes are zero rated!)
Bottled water
Fizzy drinks
Squashes
'Popped' popcorn
Flavoured/sweetened rice cakes
Roasted and salted nuts

I'll stick with meat, fruit & veg - no VAT and healthy !

Primrose

Just as a matter of interest - take the case of sultanas and other dried fruit. Are they free of VAT is you buy a packet from the cookery section shelves at supermarkets (i.e. for cake making) but liable to VAT if you buy them from Health Food shops like Holland & Barratt or Julian Graves?