23% VAT on non-alcoholic drinks and energy drinks containing added juice – commentary by a Paczuski Taudul expert for XYZ

Will non-alcoholic beer and energy drinks become more expensive? The Polish Parliament has passed an amendment to the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act that raises the VAT rate to 23% on non-alcoholic alternatives to alcoholic beverages and on drinks containing caffeine or taurine that contain at least 20% juice. Szymon Raut, tax advisor and partner at the Paczuski Taudul law firm, commented on the proposed changes in an article published by the XYZ news portal.

Currently, thanks to their fruit or vegetable content, non-alcoholic alternatives to alcoholic beverages and drinks containing caffeine or taurine benefit from a reduced VAT rate of just 5%, or 8% in the food service sector.

The changes are scheduled to enter into force on 1 January, and the government’s justification refers to ethical concerns and public health considerations. However, our expert draws attention to the fiscal motivation behind the regulation.

“In my view, the real reason for increasing the VAT rate on non-alcoholic beverages is the significant growth in sales of these products, coupled with a simultaneous decline in sales of alcoholic beverages,” says Szymon Raut.

We recommend reading the article by Katarzyna Witwicka-Jurek!

https://xyz.pl/wyzszy-vat-na-zerowki-branza-efekt-moze-byc-odwrotny/

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