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Black_Beer_Man
Joined: 26 Mar 2013
Posts: 453
Location: Yokohama
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 Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 12:31 pm Post subject: Sales Tax on Groceries in Japan. And In Your Country? |
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Most of the supermarkets in my area are now adding the sales (consumption tax) to prices at the register. Before the increase to 8%, I think the tax had been included in the prices because I don't remember ever seeing it added to my bill.
I have difficulty understanding why groceries, an absolute necessity to live, are taxed in Japan. In my country, groceries and medical treatments are excluded from taxation because they are necessities. How could any government make such items less affordable by adding tax?
How about in your home countries? |
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TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:03 am Post subject: |
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| 12% in British Columbia, Canada. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 7:45 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| How could any government make such items less affordable by adding tax? |
Because the government is in dire financial straits. But yes, you're right: this tax hits the poor the hardest.
If it's any comfort, the middle classes are likely to be spanked even harder in the near future. There's a very real risk that the government's policy of printing money to drive up inflation (and also keep government borrowing costs down, but they don't talk about that part) will spiral out of control. If we have rapid inflation, it's the people with savings, endowment policies, and so on -- i.e. the middle classes -- who'll get hit hardest.
The rich? Well, I guess they'll be up against the wall when the revolution comes.
Oh, and if memory serves the tax 20% in the UK at the moment. But there are exemptions on essential items, including basic foodstuffs and children's clothes. |
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Black_Beer_Man
Joined: 26 Mar 2013
Posts: 453
Location: Yokohama
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 10:53 am Post subject: |
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| TokyoLiz wrote: |
| 12% in British Columbia, Canada. |
On groceries like milk, bread and eggs? Are you sure about this? I highly doubt it. These are tax-free Canada wide. |
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Black_Beer_Man
Joined: 26 Mar 2013
Posts: 453
Location: Yokohama
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:07 am Post subject: |
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| I was thinking that the people who suffer the most must be seniors with a government pension. I have seen seniors at the checkout lines of supermarkets buying just a few small items like a bento, some small packages of vegetables and some tea. There's probably not much money for more than that. |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:38 am Post subject: |
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| Black_Beer_Man wrote: |
| I was thinking that the people who suffer the most must be seniors with a government pension. |
Yes. Japan has caught inflation, and those on fixed incomes are suffering. Check the news reports. |
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cat mother
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 62
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Sweden 25% on almost everything. Most food is "only" 12%.
Israel 18% on almost everything (the only exemption I remember was for fresh fruits and veggies, but there were plans to change that as well).
So Japan's 8% is a sneeze. |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:56 am Post subject: |
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| cat mother wrote: |
Sweden 25% on almost everything. Most food is "only" 12%.
Israel 18% on almost everything (the only exemption I remember was for fresh fruits and veggies, but there were plans to change that as well).
So Japan's 8% is a sneeze. |
Ouch, my state is 6%, and I feel that punishes the poor. But we also have high payroll taxes on top of that |
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cat mother
Joined: 22 Sep 2009
Posts: 62
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
But we also have high payroll taxes on top of that |
Trust me, you don't want to compare that with Sweden  |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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| cat mother wrote: |
Trust me, you don't want to compare that with Sweden |
Oh, I know. Also the alcohol taxes in most places is way higher than even Japan.
Pitarou, the Japanese won't have a revolution. It is a docile, aging unarmed populace, with no real history of civil disobedience. I see suicides rising rapidly if things get bad. Esp with the retired, as their pensions would leave them in the dust COL wise |
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Pitarou
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
Posts: 1116
Location: Narita, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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| rxk22 wrote: |
| Pitarou, the Japanese won't have a revolution. |
I was joking, of course. Japan's democracy still functions, however feebly.
| Quote: |
| I see suicides rising rapidly if things get bad. Esp with the retired, as their pensions would leave them in the dust COL wise |
Alas, I think you're absolutely right. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 10:09 pm Post subject: Re: Sales Tax on Groceries in Japan. And In Your Country? |
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| Black_Beer_Man wrote: |
Most of the supermarkets in my area are now adding the sales (consumption tax) to prices at the register. Before the increase to 8%, I think the tax had been included in the prices because I don't remember ever seeing it added to my bill.
I have difficulty understanding why groceries, an absolute necessity to live, are taxed in Japan. In my country, groceries and medical treatments are excluded from taxation because they are necessities. How could any government make such items less affordable by adding tax?
How about in your home countries? |
I don't remember sales tax ever being anything other than added at point of sale, but whatever. As for why, it's far less complex to apply a sales tax universally than mess around trying to determine exemptions. Japan is still towards the low end of sales tax regimes. It's 15% in my home country and 9-18% where I am in the US depending on the exact municipality. |
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Maitoshi
Joined: 04 May 2014
Posts: 718
Location: 何処でも
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| Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Where does sales tax hit 18% in the US? A few years back, some of my local towns were hovering just north of 12%, while the majority were just under 10%. Currently most in California are just under or above 9%. 18% sounds way high. Is it on the East Coast? |
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rxk22
Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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| 18% sounds unreasonable. I'm from the mid Atlantic and its 6% in my home state. |
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Shonai Ben
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
Posts: 617
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:33 am Post subject: |
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I was paying 18% tax when I left Canada and I don't think it's changed.There are two taxes there.The 7% Goods and Services Tax and the Provincial Tax which was 11%.
Do I complain about tax in Japan?.........not at all. |
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