«Почему молоко в магазине Maxima до сих пор стоит 1,19 евро?» Покупатель не понимает, куда исчезла скидка 0
Since July 1, a reduced VAT rate has come into force in Latvia for several groups of basic food products, but a discussion has already begun on social media: do shoppers actually see this reduction on store shelves?
A shopper on the social network “Threads” addressed “Maxima Latvija” with a question about a specific product — Talsu milk.
“Why does Talsu milk, which I bought for 1.19 euros, still cost 1.19 euros even after July 1 with the reduced VAT rate? Is the VAT reduction meant so that ‘Maxima’ can earn more, or so that the product is cheaper for the consumer?” the shopper asks.
The post quickly sparked a broad discussion. Some commenters point out that they have noticed similar situations with other products as well. One person writes that the bread he buys regularly still costs the same, only now the price has a “proud” promotion label on it. Others, meanwhile, urge people to check the receipt first, because that is where the applied VAT rate should be visible.
“That’s quite a serious claim. If that really is the case and there are receipts, then there is an authority where this can be shown,” one commenter notes.
Others in the discussion emphasize that a retailer may have the right to set the price even if the VAT rate has become lower. One commenter writes: “Nowhere did they say the price would be lower. The VAT rate is lower, yes. But maybe they just haven’t changed the price tag yet. You have to look at the receipt.”
Another shopper shares the opposite experience, claiming that the milk he bought did become cheaper — previously it cost 0.99 euros, but now 0.91 euros. Another commenter also writes that the reduced VAT for bread bought at “Rimi” is visible on the receipt.
An important nuance also appears in the discussion — the reduced VAT rate is not applied to all dairy products. One commenter points out that “Maxima” responded about exceptions to which the reduced VAT rate does not apply. These include, for example, pies, croissants, certain flour products, UHT milk, condensed and evaporated milk, as well as frozen and marinated meat.
Therefore, in this particular case, not only the name “milk” matters, but also what exact product was purchased. If it is fresh, sterilized, or pasteurized cow’s, goat’s, or sheep’s milk, the reduced VAT rate applies. If it is ultra-sterilized, or UHT milk, the reduction does not apply.
It is also important to understand that reducing the VAT rate from 21% to 12% does not mean that the product must automatically become 9% cheaper. Since the store price already includes VAT, if the reduction were fully passed on to the buyer, the final price would decrease by about 7.4%. For example, if a product previously cost 1.19 euros and the reduced VAT really does apply to it, then the price, fully reflecting the tax reduction, could be around 1.10 euros.
However, in practice, the final price is influenced not only by the tax, but also by the retailer’s pricing policy, supplier prices, promotions, previous purchases, and whether the specific product is included in the reduced VAT list at all.
What should a shopper do? The safest thing is to compare the receipt. If the reduced rate applies to the product, the receipt should indicate 12% VAT next to the relevant item. If a shopper believes that the reduced rate is not being applied or that the information is misleading, they can contact the Consumer Rights Protection Centre.
As already reported, since July 1 of this year, bread, milk, poultry meat, and eggs have been subject to a reduced VAT rate of 12%.
Not all retailers managed to implement it on time. The Consumer Rights Protection Centre confirmed this by carrying out test purchases in stores.
360 News also had the opportunity to join such an inspection.
The Consumer Rights Protection Centre begins its inspection in Purvciems — at the Citro store on Vizmas Belševicas Street. They purchase the products to which the reduced 12% VAT rate has applied since July 1. Into the basket go milk, eggs, bread, and chicken fillet. After the purchase, it quickly becomes clear whether the retailer is honest by checking the rate on the receipt.
In this store, everything is in order — VAT on everything purchased is 12%. However, one product has no price indicated, and this is also noted. Next is the nearby Top store. Here the procedure is identical. At the checkout, however, it turns out that the old 21% VAT rate is still being applied to the milk.
The store manager is informed, and the price in the system is updated. Later, when making a repeat purchase of the same milk, everything is in order — the price has decreased.
The inspection is also carried out at the BETA store on Purvciema Street. Into the basket go weighed chicken drumsticks, milk, an egg, and bread. The receipt shows that a 12% VAT rate has been applied to all products.
Such inspections have also been carried out elsewhere in the regions. Both large and small stores are being checked, including so-called corner shops and small neighborhood stores.
Līga Kauliņa, head of the Consumer Goods Supervision Department at the Consumer Rights Protection Centre, explains the purpose of the inspection: “The goal is to inform, to make sure, to inform if somewhere someone has missed something. We have information that not all retailers have been informed everywhere. Of course, there has to be some time to prepare. So right now, what we mainly want is to determine how things are going.”
It is expected that the data obtained during the inspections will be compiled in the near future, and the public will be informed about it. Meanwhile, residents are also encouraged to monitor prices and report violations. This can be done using the calculator on the Consumer Rights Protection Centre’s website or by checking the receipt.
