The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) believes that the recovery of VAT on foods benefiting from the VAT reduction is coming “too early” and that, in addition, it will result in an additional expense of 36 euros for consumers. In the opinion of the organization, the removal of this measure will lead to an increase in food prices and the recovery of VAT. will lead to an increase of 0.1% in the family budgetthey detailed this Tuesday in a press release.
In addition, they warned that in January, when the rest of the increase will occur, spending will double, approximately 72 euros per year. For the OCU, it is “too early” to eliminate these measures, because “there are sufficient reasons to maintain basic food needs”, she defended.
“The purchase of food continues to weigh too heavily on the domestic economy of many families, and not only of the most vulnerable” because, according to a study carried out by the organization itself, the prices of food have increased by 35.5% over the last three years. They concluded by asking the government to extend the VAT reduction and to “urgently and substantially” increase the amount of the check by 200 euros for families whose income is less than 27,000 euros.
From this Tuesday, basic foods, such as bread, eggs, fruit, vegetables, milk and olive oil, recover VAT, which will be 2% until the end of the year; they will then assume their usual super-reduced rate of 4%. The government removed this tax on food products from January 2023 due to rising prices of the basic basket resulting from the war in Ukraine and other factors.
