Tag Archives: vat-food

VAT: Are poppadoms crisps? The Walkers Snack Foods case

By   4 June 2025
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Latest from the courts  

In the Walkers Snack Foods Ltd Upper Tribunal (UT) case the issue was whether Sensations Poppadoms are similar to potato crisps and consequently excluded from the zero rating for food.

The First-Tier Tribunal (FTT) found that the product was similar to crisps and that it was to be treated as being excepted items from zero-rating and was therefore standard rated.

Background

The salient matter was whether the poppadoms were “made from the potato, or from potato flour, or from potato starch” and were “similar” to potato crisps via The VAT Act 1994, Schedule 8, Group 1, item 1, excepted item 5.

Value Added Tax – excepted item 5 to item 1, Group 1, Part II, Schedule 8 Value Added Tax Act 1994 – whether First-tier Tribunal erred in law in finding Sensations Poppadoms were “made from the potato, or from potato flour, or from potato starch” and were “similar” to potato crisps

This sets out that the following is excepted from the zero rate for “Food of a kind used for human consumption”.

“5. Any of the following when packaged for human consumption without further preparation, namely, potato crisps, potato sticks, potato puffs, and similar products made from the potato, or from potato flour, or from potato starch, and savoury food products obtained by the swelling of cereals or cereal products; and salted or roasted nuts other than nuts in shell.”

Contentions

The appellant argued that the poppadoms should be zero-rated for VAT purposes because they fall within Item 1 of Group 1 as they are food, and that they are not included in the list of exceptions.

 HMRC contended that that the product fell within excepted item 5 of Group 1, because they are products similar to potato crisps…

Decision 

  • The UT agreed with the FTT that the words “made from the potato” can extend to products made from potato granules and was neither untenable nor a plain misapplication of the law to the facts. 
  • The UT recalled that the FTT had concluded that Sensations Poppadoms contained “more than enough potato content” for it to be reasonable to conclude that they were “made from the potato… or from potato starch”. Sensations Poppadoms have a combined potato content (potato granules and potato starch) of 39%-40%, so the potato content is significant. The question for the UT was whether the FTT reached a conclusion which no reasonable tribunal properly construing the statute could have reached. The UT answered “no”.
  • The UT noted that the FTT determined that Sensations Poppadoms were similar to potato crisps based on a multifactorial assessment of various factors, including; packaging, appearance, texture and taste. The FTT noted that while the manufacturing processes differ, the statute allows for similarity among products made from potato starch and flour. The FTT found that the potato content in Sensations Poppadoms contributed to a neutral flavour, which did not significantly distinguish them from potato crisps. Broadly, the UT agreed with this determination.

Consequently, for the above reasons the UT dismissed the appeal and the product is subject to the standard rate.

Commentary

Yet another case on the liability of ‘snack foods’. So now we know that: Doritos, Monster Munch, Wotsits and Poppadums are standard rated, however Pringles, Skips and Twiglets are VAT free. This demonstrates the complexity of classifying food and these decisions throw up more complications for producers as this market develops quickly as the public’s taste moves on.

A VAT Did you know?

By   20 May 2025
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The sale of ostriches is zero rated, but kangaroos are standard rated. Both are sold as food.

A VAT Did you know?

By   26 March 2025
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Oils and fats used for animal food is zero-rated, unless it is waste oil from a fish and chip shop – which is standard rated… even if it is used to feed animals.

VAT: When is a bar a bar? – The Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union case

By   17 February 2025
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Latest from the courts

A student union tried to argue that a bar is not a bar. It did not go well.

In the case of The Anglia Ruskin Students’ Union the High Court considered the appellant’s application for judicial review of HMRC’s decision that “92” which was operated on the university’s campus was a bar.

The importance of this description of the venue was that if it was indeed a bar, the supplies from it would be standard rated. This is because the supplies of catering to students by eligible bodies, including universities”, are exempt from VAT, on the basis that the supplies are closely related to exempt supplies of education, however, the exemption does not cover food and drink sold in bars.

The union contended that ‘bar’ means a place that does not supply catering, or, alternatively, predominantly or mainly serves alcohol.

HMRC, predictably argued that a bar is “somewhere where one can buy and drink alcoholic and other drinks, as well as food”, and that 92 met that definition.

The court agreed with HMRC that the bar was indeed a bar and did not grant permission to appeal.

So, now we know, a bar is a bar, not a café… or anything else really.

Technical

* Student unions often provide catering alongside universities. Since March 2002, HMRC has operated a published concession extending the exemption granted to supplies of catering made by universities to student unions.

A VAT Did you know?

By   20 December 2024
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In or out?

If a biscuit is covered, even partially, in chocolate the VAT is 20%, but if the chocolate is inside, say a choc chip cookie or a bourbon, it is VAT free.

A VAT did you know?

By   25 October 2024
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If you buy a flapjack* from a vending machine in the corridor at work it is VAT free. However, if you buy the same product from a machine in the staff canteen it will be standard rated.

* Of course, zero rating only applies to a “traditional” flapjack and not cereal or energy/sports nutrition bars…

A VAT Did you know?

By   26 September 2024
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Fruit pulp is zero-rated, but fruit juice is standard-rated.

VAT: Zero rated “hot” food – a summary

By   23 September 2024
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Food – What’s hot and what’s not?
Generally, cold takeaway food and drink is zero-rated (as long as it is not of a type that is always standard-rated, such as crisps, sweets and some beverages including bottled water).
Via VAT Act 1994 Schedule 8, Group 1, the sale of certain food is zero rated. However, there is an exception for supplies in the course of catering. Anything coming within the definition of catering reverts to the general rule and is taxable at the standard rate. The definition of catering includes “any supply of hot food for consumption off those premises…” Note 3 (b).
Historically, there has been many disputes over what food is “hot”. A seemingly straightforward definition one would think, but this is VAT, and case law insists that that is often not the case. A good example is the Eat case.
It may be coincidence, but I have dealt with a number of issues around this recently, so I thought it may be helpful to look at the VAT treatment of different types of food.

Pasties, sausage rolls, pies or other pastries

  • If they are hot and straight from the oven: Although the pastry is hot, it is not being kept warm, so therefore there is no VAT
  • Left to cool to room temperature: The pasty is not being kept warm, so no VAT is chargeable.
  • Kept hot in a cabinet, on a hot plate or under a heat lamp: The pasty is being kept warm so VAT is due

Sandwiches

  • Cold food is zero-rated for tax purposes so no VAT.
  • Heated for a customer – standard rated per the Eat case.

Bread

  • Freshly baked, cooling or cold – the bread is not kept warm, even though it may be straight from the oven, so would be VAT free.

Rotisserie chicken

  • If hot from the spit; VAT on takeaway food intended to be served hot is VATable.
  • Kept hot in a cabinet, on a hot plate or under a heat lamp – As the food is kept hot and served hot, VAT is applicable.
  • Left to cool to room temperature – If the chicken is cooked then left to cool, such as in bags in a supermarket, it will be VAT free.

Takeaways

  • such as fish and chips: VAT remains on all takeaway food served hot.

Catering

  • All supplies of catering is subject to VAT regardless of what food and drink is being provided. This includes all restaurants and cafés: VAT applies if a supply of food and drink is made for consumption on the premises that it’s supplied in.

This is a general guide and, as case law shows, there will always be products on the “borderline”.

In summary, food that is hot can be treated as cold…

A VAT Did you know?

By   27 August 2024
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The Irish Supreme Court ruled that the bread sold by the restaurant chain Subway was too sweet to be classified as bread and that the high sugar content meant that it could not be zero rated.

A VAT Did you know?

By   29 July 2024
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Toffee apples are zero-rated, however, any other fruit which is covered in sugar (or toffee) sold as confectionary is standard rated.