Food prices
Food prices will go down on imported food products because of the removal of levies. Products include beef, pig meat, poultry and eggs, fruit and vegetables and a range of food items, including tinned food, biscuits and ice-cream, drinks and wine. Some...
Food prices will go down on imported food products because of the removal of levies. Products include beef, pig meat, poultry and eggs, fruit and vegetables and a range of food items, including tinned food, biscuits and ice-cream, drinks and wine.
Some examples of what consumers will save:
¤ 15 cents on every kilo of pig meat
¤ 10 cents on eggs (per dozen)
¤ 4 cents on every kilo of poultry
¤ 81 cents on every kilo of tomato polpa
¤ 45 cents on every kilo of pasta
¤ 50 cents on every kilo of peaches, plums
¤ 70 cents on every kilo of ice-cream
¤ 15 cents on every litre of juices
¤ 25 cents on every litre of beer
¤ Lm1.50 on every litre of wine
On certain products, Malta will have to adjust to higher EU prices. But compensation, partly funded by the EU, will be given so that consumer prices are not affected. Affected products are sugar, cereals, rice, semi-processed tomato products and some beef and dairy products.
Food will remain free from VAT until January 1, 2010. Malta agreed on the understanding that, by that time, no other EU country will still have an exemption. If Malta introduces VAT, it can apply a reduced rate of five per cent and can give cost of living compensation.