School meals will get more expensive due to higher VAT

Meals in schools and homes for the elderly will become more expensive in the near future. As a budget measure, the federal government decided recently to raise the VAT rate on prepared meals from 6 to 12 per cent. More expensive school meals clash with the Flemish government's ambition to serve kids healthier meals in school.

The higher VAT on prepared meals has already caused a lot of headaches. The government struggled for days with the definition of such a meal. Finally, it was decided that all meals that have to be eaten within two days fall within that definition: take-away pizza or burgers, French fries, … In a supermarket, frozen pizzas keep the 6 per cent rate, and a fresh salad goes to 12 per cent VAT. It goes without saying that the measure met controversy.

Now, a new effect pops up, VRT reports. Schools or homes for the elderly that don’t have their own kitchen will have to pay more. Meals from external caterers are subject to the 12 per cent rate. The sector warns that this will have adverse effects. Per meal, the additional cost for the parents or the elderly is limited, but on a monthly basis, the effect is not negligible.

In recent years, healthy and affordable school lunches have been a frequent topic of public debate. Opposition parties say the VAT decision runs counter to that priority.

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