The UK sports nutrition industry is asking consumers to rally against UK government plans to put VAT on sports nutrition products that are not currently taxed. If this change takes place it will mean that the price of many popular products that help support athlete’s training and exercise programs will rise by 20% from 1 October 2012.
As leading sports nutrition player Maxinutrition points out, ‘We are strongly against this move – we believe that raising the price through taxation of products that help keep people fit, healthy and active is simply the wrong thing to do.’
Keep sports nutrition drinks VAT free petition
UK sports nutrition consumers are being asked to put their views direct to government decision makers, by signing online petitions. The Official Government Petition site currently has an e-petition in operation to ‘Keep sports nutrition drinks VAT free’. This consultation closes on 4 May.
As Maxinutrition points out, ‘The more people that sign this petition, the stronger the signal to government that the hundreds of thousands of people who consume sports nutrition products in the UK are determined to make their voices heard. So please help us spread the word!’
PetitionBuzz
Online site PetitionBuzz has a No VAT on Sports Nutrition Drinks petition. This site includes an open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne MP, which notes that the planned move ‘will push up prices and damage small, specialist manufacturers in particular. It will impact negatively on jobs and growth and undermine consumer safety by driving customers to source products from less reputable overseas suppliers through internet and mail order.’
The open letter continues, ‘In the Olympic year, the decision sends out the wrong message about the importance of sport and exercise in improving public health, and it is completely bizarre when milk-shakes, drinking chocolate and jaffa cakes all continue to be zero rated for VAT.’
A number of consumers have voiced dismay that the UK Government is targeting sports nutrition products while obesity remains a fundamental health and economic challenge. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, which represents all UK doctors, has recently attacked the UK government’s strategy to tackle the UK’s obesity epidemic.
The UK Government is being urged to think again on this planned VAT hike, and UK sports nutrition consumers have until 4 May to make their voices heard.
Keep sports nutrition drinks VAT free e-petition
www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/vatonsportsdrinks
