The preliminary version of the State Budget proposal for 2018 reveals that the Government wants to introduce a new tax on food that will depend on the levels of salt it contains.
Crackers, cereals and crisps will be covered by this tax “when they have a salt content of 1 gram or more per 100 grams of product” or 10 grams per kilo.
A tax of €0.80 will be levied on each kilo of these foods according to the State Budget proposal, and any crackers, crisps or cereals with less than one gram of salt per 100 grams will be exempt from this payment.
This new tax is added to the Consumer Excise Code (IEC) and revenues from it will be “allocated to the health promotion and disease prevention programmes managed by the Directorate-General for Health.”
Back in January, the government introduced a new tax on soft and sugary drinks and is expected to raise €80 million in State revenues from the “sugar tax” this year.
The price of a soft drink with up to 80 grams of sugar per litre rose by €0.15 and drinks with more than 80 grams of sugar per litre now cost an additional €0.30. The price rises include VAT (value added tax).
The 2018 budget proposal approved by the Government will now be presented to parliament and a public presentation of the document by Minister of Finance, Mário Centeno, will follow.
The socialist government said the general outline of the document forecasts one of the highest growth rates since 2000.
The final overall vote on the 2018 State Budget is scheduled for 28 November, following a month of debate.
The presentation of the document, in the parliament, by the Minister of Finance, Mário Centeno, is scheduled for 24 October, at the Budget and Finance Commission.
On 25 October the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Vieira da Silva, will present the budget at the same commission.
After the general vote, with a debate scheduled for 2 and 3 November, the sectoral discussion, ministry by ministry, will be held by the respective committees.