Fruit and vegetables are good for the Dutch economy and society. Why is VAT charged on these healthy products? Fruit and vegetables provide important health benefits to the population. Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables lowers the chance of cardiovascular diseases and certain forms of cancer, providing significant savings each year for healthcare. In addition, calculations show that when the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables is eaten in the Netherlands, this would provide 120,000 additional jobs. In the debate around sustainable employability and sustainability of our food, fruit and vegetables also play an important role.
With the cabinet plans regarding the tax rates that are now on the table, the GroentenFruit Huis calls for a 0% rate on fruit and vegetables, for the reasons mentioned above. Reports say food is excluded from the rate increase. With the debate surrounding VAT raging, time should also be made to talk about lowering taxes on healthy products.
GroentenFruit Huis believes a 0% rate on fruit and vegetables would help increase consumption of fruit and vegetables. That higher consumption would only provide benefits for the cabinet, for the economy, health and sustainability of the Netherlands. The Dutch fruit and vegetable sector accounts for nearly 14 billion Euro in revenue.
Natuur & Milieu shares the opinion of the GroentenFruit Huis. At the end of 2014, Natuur & Milieu already called for a lowering of the VAT on fruit and vegetables to 0%, in response to the WRR report on food policy published then. 'The Dutch government should lower the VAT on fruit and vegetables to 0%. The VAT on meat and on products with a lot of sugar, fat and salt should be increased to 21% though. The WRR proposes that in future we should eat more healthily and sustainably. That means more fruit and vegetables,' says Sijas Akkerman of Natuur & Milieu.