Belgium Raises VAT on Takeaway Meals; New Rules Based on Shelf Life Spark Debate

• The Belgian government agreed to increase VAT on takeaway meals from 6% to 12%, but defining “takeaway meal” caused confusion.
• Meals requiring only reheating, cutting, or portioning remain at 6% VAT; bakery breakfast products also stay at 6%.
• Only meals with a shelf life of up to two days get the new 12% VAT; longer shelf life or frozen/pre-packaged meals remain at 6%.
• The hospitality industry criticizes the complexity and calls for a uniform 9% VAT rate on all food and beverages except alcohol.
• The effectiveness of the new rules will be evaluated in the coming months.

Source: retaildetail.eu

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.

---

---