food prices
Özdemir supports VAT exemption for fruit and vegetables
“VAT reduction for healthy food is particularly beneficial for those who have little or no financial leeway”: Cem Özdemir. Photo: Moritz Frankenberg/dpa
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Federal Minister of Agriculture Özdemir welcomes the calls for the abolition of VAT for fruit, vegetables and legumes. But testing and implementation are a matter for the Ministry of Finance.
Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir has welcomed calls for a VAT exemption for fruit, vegetables and legumes.
“If we make fruit and vegetables cheaper, we not only relieve the burden on consumers comparatively inexpensively, but also promote healthy nutrition through the steering effect gained,” said the Green politician on Thursday of the German Press Agency. “That would be a double dividend proposal, which I prefer.”
Özdemir said that he personally supports the repeated call for the abolition of VAT for fruit, vegetables and pulses. The social association VdK, the consumer centers and the German Diabetes Society had campaigned for this.
Özdemir explained: “In the debate on the first relief package, I had already stated that a reduction in VAT on healthy food would benefit those who had little or no financial leeway.” Examination and implementation of possible VAT changes are a matter for the Ministry of Finance.