The Mercabarna Association of Fresh Food Wholesale Entrepreneurs (ASSOCOME) has called for VAT on fresh meat and fish to be equal to that of neighboring countries. Remember that while in Spain it is 10% (reduced rate), in France it is 5%, 7% in Germany or 4% in Italy. “The modification of this tax would have an effective impact when it comes to filling the shopping basket and it would also be noticeable in the restoration, since it would have a direct impact on the final price of the product,” they point out in a statement.
The business community also considers it appropriate that the temporary suppression of VAT for fruit and vegetables decreed by the Spanish government be extended until the end of the year.
Since the beginning of the year, Anafric has been defending a public position in favor of applying a super-reduced 4% VAT on meat. “We would all benefit: consumers, because with the same money they spend buying food they can buy more and include meat and other essential foods, nutritious and quality foods in their Mediterranean diet; the butcher and delicatessen establishments, together with the fishmongers, because their quality product would have an outlet and they would not have to think about whether we closed this month or not, and the Government, because despite lowering VAT, a greater number of consumers purchased these foods with which the collection would not have to go down, “explains José Friguls, president of the meat association.
In this sense, Anafric gives the example of countries such as Portugal, which has initiated a measure called ZERO VAT until October that eliminates the tax title on meat products such as chicken, pork, turkey, beef or fish.
