Commenting on the political debate over whether the government should reduce VAT on food in light of the war in Iran and inflation, Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Association, said:
“Reducing VAT on food can provide significant relief for the public at a time of rising living costs. However, we are firmly opposed to any further tax relief for meat. Given the costs to health, the environment and the climate caused by meat consumption, it is incomprehensible that meat is already subject to a reduced tax rate of 7 per cent, whilst plant-based foods are taxed at 19 per cent.
Plant-based foods must be significantly cheaper than meat and animal products. To create a fair and sustainable food policy, the VAT rate on plant-based foods and other staple foods should be significantly reduced. A reduced rate of 4 per cent would be a necessary step here to ease the burden on people, strengthen animal welfare and, at the same time, contribute to environmental and climate protection.”
