Friday 11 April, 2008

Tax: it doesn't have to be taxing

Filed under: General

According to the BBC's detailing of HMRC's VAT guidelines in relation to biscuits and cakes, the following rules apply.

Biscuits
No VAT applies on chocolate chip biscuits where the chips are either included in the dough or pressed into the surface before baking. Nor does it apply on Jaffa Cakes, nor on Bourbon and other biscuits where the chocolate or similar product forms a sandwich layer between two biscuit halves and is not continued on to the outer surface.

VAT is levied, however, on wholly or partly coated biscuits including biscuits decorated in a pattern with chocolate or some similar product, gingerbread men decorated with chocolate (unless this amounts to no more than a couple of dots for eyes) and chocolate shortcake.

Cakes
No VAT applies on marshmallow teacakes (with a crumb, biscuit or cake base topped with a dome of marshmallow coated in either chocolate, sugar strands or coconut), caramel or "millionaire's" shortcake consisting of a base of shortbread topped with a layer or caramel and (usually) chocolate or carob and flapjacks.

VAT is levied, however, on "Snowballs" (without the base described for marshmallow teacakes above), partly or wholly chocolate-covered shortbread and cereal, muesli and similar bars with honey or other added sweetening matter.


Posted by dan at 8:02am | Permalink | Comments (2) | Trackbacks (0)
Comments

VAT was first introduced (in 1973) as a replacement for various types of sales tax, because we were required to harmonise indirect taxes as part of recent entry to the EEC. Some sales taxes had previously only applied to "luxury" goods, missing out food, hence these interesting exceptions and the recent M&S teacakes case. Cakes are "essentials" (probably a French influence?) but biscuits are , of course, a luxury. There was a similar case, I think in the late 80s, about whether or not Jaffa cakes were biscuits or cakes. I think also that childrens' clothes and shoes used to be exempt, not sure if that's the case now. As an ex-accountant, I can confirm that these issues are somewhat less interesting than they might appear.
http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/issue-briefs/economy/taxation/vat/value-added-tax-$366603.htm

Posted by Nick 9:12am, Friday 11 April 2008

One should never underestimate (should this be hyphenated? I’m sure Dan will tell me!) the ability to bang on about VAT on a regular basis. It pays mine and many others’ mortgages every month!

Posted by Paul McM, 9:33pm, Thursday 17 April 2008
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