20% increase on supplements from Oct 1st
- Thread starter JackCarver
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how is protein powder a luxury item? each shake costs pennies.
Surely having a decent steak meal is more of a luxury to get the same sort of benefit from meat?
creatine isn't on the list to be vat added is it?
If it's in a Sports Nutrition Drink, or can be made into one, then yes, it will be.
If it is sold, however, as a supplement that may reduce muscle damage and atrophy during trauma, or to improve carbohydrate absorption during weightloss, then it will not.
Soldato
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It's not food in the traditional sense, when marketed as stuff to help people gain mass (or 'bulk' as the consultation paper says), ergo not a necessity (which is why SlimFast and utrition for 'ibvalids' is still zero-rated), and therefore VATable.
It's not complicated at all. But that does not imply fair, sensible, logical or balanced.
Issue then is you'ed have all the fatties and idiots who eat that junk day in, day out up in arms! would only take Labor to say "we'll get rid of the fat tax" and they would win with a landslide!
I'm not disagreeing with you on any count, too. All I'm saying is that - as somebody who has had to deal with the various mechanisms behind our loony taxation system from an accounting perspective - there are grounds for its classification as such when marketed as a sports nutrition drink, I.e. Maximuscle Cyclone or whatever.
Pimped as a calorie-controlling weight loss aid, however, it may well be VAT free. I'm not saying this to be difficult, either... It is just how the Treasury works.
While I obviously completely disagree with the tax hike especially considering they dropped the plan of taxing takeaway junk food, it is a luxury item you don't need it to get by we use it because it's a cheap easy way to increase our intake.
Then by this thinking fast food should also be VAT'ed by as well all know governments are completely backwards in almost all their thinking.
Then by this thinking fast food should also be VAT'ed by as well all know governments are completely backwards in almost all their thinking.
its nothing to do with being a luxury item, hmrc will have looked at how much money goes through the health industry on sup's and will be expecting a quick half a bill in tax. they dernt hit pastys again as the sun and other bastions of crappy living will be up in arms.
How can something that is cheaper than a normal equivalent be classed as a luxury?
Nope, protein powder does not fall into any of those definitions imo!
Man of Honour
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It was going to happen - extra income for the government.
Protein powder is a luxury item because it is not a substitute for normal protein intake as you are claiming. If you can find me a significant number of people - and I'll accept even one - who are drinking dozens of protein shakes instead of, I don't know, eating sausages, then I'll rethink my stance, but until then it is a luxury enjoyed by people who are using it for bulking up as part of their exercise regime which is a fairly niche activity in the grand scheme of things.
