Skinade: A Beauty Product or Food Item? UK VAT Case Analysis

• Recent UK VAT cases have focused on whether certain food items should be subject to standard rate VAT or zero-rated
• Examples include giant marshmallows being zero-rated, while smaller versions are standard rated, and Walker’s Sensations Poppadoms being subject to 20% VAT
• The case of Bottled Science Limited v HMRC found that a collagen drink called ‘Skinade’ was not zero-rated under UK VAT Act
• The First Tier Tribunal sided with HMRC, stating that Skinade was more akin to a beauty product than a food item
• The future of UK VAT legislation for food remains complex and outdated compared to other European countries

Source: essentiaglobalservices.com

Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.

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