{"links":{"self":"https://preview.epetitions.website/archived/petitions/13263.json"},"data":{"type":"archived-petition","id":13263,"parliament":{"period":"2010-2015","government":"Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition","dissolution_at":"2015-03-30T23:59:59.000+01:00","response_threshold":10000,"debate_threshold":100000},"attributes":{"action":"Call for Common Sense on Food VAT Pricing (e.g. Innocent Drinks)","background":null,"additional_details":"Under current British tax rules, consumers pay no VAT on \"essential\" foods and drinks but must pay 20% on \"luxury\" items such as smoothies, ice cream, and \"gingerbread men decorated with chocolate unless this amounts to no more than a couple of dots for eyes\". The set of rules which dictates whether a product is taxed or not was created in 1973. It is archaic, arbitrary, and unfair. For example, smoothies - which contain fruit and help people live more healthily - are subject to VAT at full rate when junk food such as burgers, chips and doughnuts are sold tax-free. We request that the government makes HMRC take a closer look at its taxation on foods. This should create a more modern, clearer, and fairer tax system which takes into account the externalities associated with the consumption of all major food products.","committee_note":null,"state":"rejected","signature_count":1,"created_at":"2011-08-17T17:43:51.000Z","updated_at":"2020-02-16T19:27:02.881Z","rejected_at":"2017-06-21T12:34:47.894Z","opened_at":null,"closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2011-08-17T17:43:51.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"debate_scheduled_at":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"rejection":{"code":"duplicate","details":null},"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[],"topics":[]}}}