quadrupled VAT on plastic bottles?

In the wake of the Nestlé Waters mineral water scandal, the Senate has just voted for a sharp increase in VAT on bottled water.

A higher carbon impact

It is a scandal that has left its mark, in minds and in bottles. Last January, the subsidiary of the Swiss agri-food giant admitted to having used prohibited disinfection systems in order to maintain the “food security” of its mineral waters. It is by recalling this scandal which it had seized, and the consequences of the use of plastic on the environment, that the Senate decided to increase from 5.5 to 20% the VAT rate on water in plastic bottle.

This amendment was adopted against the advice of the current government. For its author, Senator Renaissance Nadège Havet, “ this amendment to eliminate reduced VAT on plastic bottled water responds to concerns about environmental, health and social issues”. As she recalled on this occasion, “ the carbon impact of bottled water is considerably higher than that of tap water, with emissions 2023 times higher per liter. »

Additional tax revenue

But in a context of inflation and the cost of living, it would also be an additional burden imposed on households on a basic necessity product. A decision that could be seen as a form of“punitive ecology” by consumers. Please note that bottled water sold overseas would not be affected. However, the concerns raised by the Nestlé Waters scandal remain. The senatorial commission of inquiry helped to shed light on the Swiss group’s use of prohibited filtration processes.

According to the senators, increasing VAT on plastic bottles to 20% aims to encourage consumers to favor tap water, a more economical and ecological solution. But if it were finally adopted, this measure could above all bring in between 150 and 300 million euros to a state budget in search of savings and revenue. However, if the finance bill is adopted using article 49.3, the government will be free to retain only the amendments of its choice in the final text.

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