“We are all in a position to guarantee that the basket will be promoted in stores and will receive due attention and that the identified products will have zero VAT, properly identified in stores”.

According to Gonçalo Lobo Xavier, "companies are very motivated", although there are still some technical doubts, namely whether or not some specific products fit into the categories defined in the diploma that was approved by Parliament, and, therefore, whether they pass or not to be exempt from VAT. That work is still being done with the Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs and the Tax Authority, he said.

Consumers will be able to take advantage of zero VAT from April 18, Tuesday, until October 31, although there are no certainties about the exact effect that the measure will have on taxpayers' expenses with basic groceries. The products will be identified on the shelves, although the APED leader discards the possibility of putting “little flags” to mark all the products. It is also foreseen that the covered products will have a reinforced promotional dynamic.

Asked whether the practical application of VAT at a rate of 0% implied changes in the billing software, the person in charge confirmed that “it required major changes and a very large investment. That's why we asked [the Government] to give us enough time,” he said.