Supermarket starts petition to lower VAT rate on fruit & veg

Supermarket chain Dirk van den Broek launched a petition to lower the VAT on fruit and vegetables from 9 to 6 percent. According to the supermarket, the low VAT rate increase of 2019 resulted in healthy eating becoming more expensive than many unhealthy alternatives. "High time for action," Marcel Huizing, general manager of Dirk van den Broek, said to AD.

"The VAT increase that took effect in 2019 can no longer be defended for fruit and vegetables. That's why we're starting the petition. It must be possible to induce politicians to return the rate to 6 percent," Huizing said. "I call on all supermarkets to share and sign the petition."

According to Minister Carola Schouten of Agriculture and Food Safety, regulations from Brussels make it impossible to lower the VAT on fruit and vegetables. But Huizing disputes this. "It is possible to request exception to that European policy per country. I may be opportunistic, but it is possible if we all want it."

According to him, supermarkets lowering prices on fruit and vegetables themselves is not an option. "We already offer competitive prices. Only there is a limit to what we can achieve with suppliers in the price of fruit and vegetables. That is why we want to get politicians to take action.'