grungy-gonads 54 Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 This should surely have gone Important news of the day thread, but perhaps Pringles deserve their own thread. Apart from being totally wonderfully nutritional and some of the healthiest snacks out there, they are rather more-ish don't you think? But are they potato crisps? Hmmm. Quote: Three judges at the Court of Appeal were asked to decide whether Pringles are similar to potato crisps and made from the potato - and therefore liable for Value Added Tax. A VAT Tribunal decided they were made from potato but a High Court judge said they were not - and appeal judges have now reinstated the tribunal's decision, leaving makers Procter and Gamble liable for £100 million of past VAT and £20 million a year in the future. But a spokesman for Procter and Gamble said the company had an agreement with HMRC while the appeal was pending and continued to pay VAT on the product and so there were no back taxes to pay. Food products are usually zero-rated for VAT, but one of the exceptions is the humble potato crisp. The VAT Act 1994 singles out the snack for tax purposes with the words: "Any of the following when packaged for human consumption without further preparation, namely, potato crisps, potato sticks, potato puffs and similar products made from the potato, or from potato flour, or from potato starch, and savoury products obtained by the swelling of cereals or cereal products; and salted or roasted nuts other than nuts in shell." During the hearing of the case last month, Roderick Cordara QC argued that the product should have a sufficient content of potato to give it a quality of what he called "potatoness". He said Regular Pringles, which contain 42% potato, 33% fat and flour cannot be said to be "made from potato". But the appeal judges disagreed. Lord Justice Jacob said the VAT Tribunal was right to find Pringles are sufficiently similar to potato crisps to bring them into the tax net. He said he could not agree with Mr Justice Warren in the High Court who found that the potato content of Pringles should be disregarded when considering the question of similarity to crisps. The spokesman for Procter and Gamble said: "We are disappointed with the court's conclusion that VAT should be applied to Pringles. We have always asserted that Pringles in the UK market should be taxed as all other savoury snacks with which it competes. We remain committed to providing consumers with high quality, tasty snacks." Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Whatever they are, they are dangerous! I try to avoid them, because once I pop... Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 I heard Pringles are made from GM potatoe ans wheat. Hence I consciously avoid them. Now, I reckon I eat GM stuff everyday without knowing. But ignorance is bliss. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 33% fat!! Link to post Share on other sites
snowbender 3 Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 Once you pop you can't stop, perhaps Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 It is the fat and salt content that makes you unable to stop eating them - that 'morish' nature of snack foods is the red flag to DO NOT BUY. Link to post Share on other sites
Marbleheader 0 Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 But they taste so good! Link to post Share on other sites
BillTheBinMan 0 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I love those things. Especially the cheesy/chivy ones. Quality gourmet. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 anybody ever managed a whole tube of that stuff? I get to about 20 pieces before I need to throw up. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 Oh yes. Tube has been done. Link to post Share on other sites
yoroshiku onegai shimasu 2 Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I have to avoid them. They are way too addictive I can easily get through a tube in one sitting and (not recently) have done in the past. Link to post Share on other sites
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