Saw this today, it appears Ireland has decided that Subway bread is too sugary to be classified as 'bread' as per Ireland's VAT act.
Does our UK legislation have any similar requirements for something to be classified as bread?
Though I assume Subway is caught by VAT being chargeable on hot takeaway food? (please tell me no one here does not have their subway heated!)
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Adding too much sugar to a loaf of bread is an American thing. When I was in the USA, it was very difficult to find an ordinary loaf of bread that didn't taste sweet. Yuk.
I don't have mine heated... Because I don't eat it. Never saw the attraction, tried it a couple of times, if it wasn't a sloppy mess the bread was as stale as an old used sock stuck behind a sofa for 5 years.
Then again I've never seen the attraction for McDonald's either.
I prefer my Subway to be heated, but without cheese! So, always standard rated whether I eat in or take away. And yes, I have a loyalty card.
The definitions and categories of food in VAT legislation do come from the post-war distinction between 'ordinary' and 'luxury' food. There is no similar definition of bread in UK VAT legislation. You can read the HMRC guidance in Notice 701/14, chapter 3.
Of course the Office for Tax Simplification should be working on tidying up the anachronistic legislation. I suspect it is a long way down their list of priorities. But it keeps people like me in business!
I suppose two points in answer:
1: there's no specification of sugar content in the definition of bread in the UK VAT act.
2: If it's not bread by virtue of being too sweet you can call it a cake and it'd still be zero rated.
I do like subway, but never heated! Never realised there was so much sugar in the bread though, which has put me off!