Foods that will have zero VAT: meet some

Potatoes, chicken, eggs, olive oil, semi-skimmed milk…Check out some of the foods that will make up the VAT-free basket.

One of the measures presented by the Government to reduce the impact of the increase in the cost of VAT on household budgets was to eliminate VAT on the food basket of essential goods.

Remember that the VAT rate in force for basic food items is already the reduced rate: 6% on the mainland, 5% on Madeira and 4% on the Azores. This means that, with this measure, this rate will go to zero or, in other words, these foods on the mainland will be 6% cheaper, and in Madeira and the Azores, 5% and 4% respectively.

When submitting the measure, the Government announced that the zero VAT food basket would contain between 30 and 40 foods. It is known that the criterion for choosing this basket is related to the fact that these foods are part of the so-called healthy eating wheel: cereals and derivatives, vegetables, fruit, fats, dairy products, meat, fish, eggs and legumes.

Not all products are known yet, but some have already been revealed by SIC.

Known foods that will have zero VAT

The foods presented here will have a 0% VAT rate starting in April and for six months.

1. Potato.
2. Pasta.
3. Rice.
4. Carrot.
5. Onion.
6. Tomato.
7. Fruit (apple, banana, orange).
8. Semi Skimmed Milk.
9. Chicken.
10. Pork.
11. Bread.
12. Bean.
13. Vegetables (broccoli and courgettes).
14. Fish (salmon and hake).
15. Eggs.
16. Oil

Out of this list, according to the television station, are preserves made from salted and smoked fish and molluscs. Sausages and some canned foods should also be left out of the list of VAT-exempt products.