Announcing the new VAT rate this week, Slovakia’s finance minister, Ladislav Kamenický, claimed studies had shown that books were “primarily purchased by wealthier segments of the population” and could therefore be taxed at the new basic rate of 23% rather than the current rate of 10%.
studies had shown that books were “primarily purchased by wealthier segments of the population”
This is basically universally true, the better educated read way more books on average.
The best way to give people with little money better access to books is free libraries of good standard.
If you are poor it doesn’t matter much that the price drops from 10 Euro to 8 Euro. ( at 25% VAT. )
The price of books in Denmark is generally not a problem at all, only for the poorest it may be, for them better libraries is better.
Such a decrease in VAT will by far benefit the better off more.
What we need is to remove VAT on basic and healthy foods. We still have 25% VAT on all food. And vegetables are pretty expensive here in Denmark, AFAIK we are the most expensive country to buy food in EU.
I’m OK with removing VAT on books, but not before basic foods!
Meanwhile this was a stupid proposal over here in Slovakia: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/20/slovakia-targets-wealthy-book-buyers-with-steep-vat-rise
The idiots should make more people read rather than just the wealthy elite. Problem is that if it indeed is so, most people won’t complain sadly.
This is basically universally true, the better educated read way more books on average.
The best way to give people with little money better access to books is free libraries of good standard.
If you are poor it doesn’t matter much that the price drops from 10 Euro to 8 Euro. ( at 25% VAT. )
The price of books in Denmark is generally not a problem at all, only for the poorest it may be, for them better libraries is better.
Such a decrease in VAT will by far benefit the better off more.
What we need is to remove VAT on basic and healthy foods. We still have 25% VAT on all food. And vegetables are pretty expensive here in Denmark, AFAIK we are the most expensive country to buy food in EU.
I’m OK with removing VAT on books, but not before basic foods!
they never read about the chicken and egg situation