The Core (Swindon) Ltd v HMRC [2018] TC 06874 the FTT decided that for VAT, fruit and vegetable juices sold as a meal replacement were food and not beverages and therefore zero-rated.

The FTT found that the juices were food and therefore zero-rated on the basis that they were perceived as meal replacements by customers, and the way they were held out for sale.

Comments

The Tribunal only ruled on the liability of the juices sold as part of a programme, not any individual sales of the juices, as the appellant had already accepted these were standard rated in previous discussions with HMRC. This shows the danger of conceding arguable points in discussions with HMRC too early.

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External links

The Core (Swindon) Ltd v HMRC [2018] TC 06874