‘DON’T RAISE THE VAT RATE ON FOOD SUPPLEMENTS’
PEOPLE are to be penalised for trying to improve their health as Revenue introduces a 23 per cent rate of VAT on food supplements – vitamins, fish oils, minerals and such.
Fianna Fáil TD John Brassil has this week appealed for the move to be halted until a Tax Strategy Group review of various tax issues is completed later in the year.
The move could see people faced with paying up to €7 more for vitamins and other supplements a month as the rate comes into effect from March.
“The huge hike in VAT, which is due to come in in March, will have a major impact on the day-to-day costs of hundreds of thousands of people who take food supplements,” Deputy Brassil said.
“The majority are taking them to improve their health and now they’ll be penalised for doing so,” he warned.
He said that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s comments late last year on food supplements in the context of a debate on the VAT rate in the Dáil tells its ‘ own story’. The Taoiseach described them as ‘snake oil’.
“His dismissive attitude was insulting to the many individuals and families who supplement their diets with vitamins, minerals and fish-oil supplements in a bid to live healthier lives. The proposed VAT hike could see the cost of these supplements jump by more than €7 a month – that will make it unaffordable for people who are already finding the cost of living extremely high,” he warned.