Taxes On Food

United States
July 4, 2007 8:50pm CST
In West Virginia, we do have a 6% tax on food.I am not talking about restaurants. I understand why they must charge taxes on restaurant food. My daughter just told me that they have just changed that in South Carolina and they will no longer be charging taxes on food. I forget when she said it would take affect. I wish they would eliminate taxes on all food all over the US. Do you pay taxes on your food? How much and where do you live? I am curious about the various states and countries practices on taxes added to food purchases.
10 people like this
27 responses
@cynddvs (2948)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I live in Tennessee and we have outrageous taxes here. Our sales tax on food in grocery stores, not restaurants is 8.25%. And our tax on everything else is 9.25%. I've lived in Florida and I know they don't have sales tax on food there. And my dad lives in Arizona and they don't have sales tax on food there either.
6 people like this
@Inky261 (2520)
• Germany
5 Jul 07
Yes, there is added value tax on food in Germany and I think it is 7 per cent on food. It is an unjust tax as it hits people who live on a small pension much harder than the rich. Usually the tax colledtors are very greedy people and never do away with a tax once it has been established. That is the general rule.
5 people like this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Thirty years ago, when living in San Diego as a military wife, I was astounded, there was no tax on food from the grocery store. It may have changed, but that was then. We pay taxes on everything, I believe 6.9%. This will be interesting to read as you gather information.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I should have added that I am in central Kansas, and it varies by which county you are in and which local project you are paying for what the taxes will be.
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Here in Florida some food is taxable while others are not. Things like soft drinks, some snack foods, and things like that are taxed while all other food isn't. Not sure how they determine which snack food will be. It's strange. Our tax here is 7% on things like that.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I live in the heartland and they tax our food here, I was astonished - I had never heard of such a thing and I hail from NY and DH from Connecticut where taxes are abundant (but not on food, nor up to $200 of clothing purchases in CT) Our sales tax is 6point something percent, food tax is 3.5. I do not believe food, medicinals, or toilet paper should be taxed! nor eyeglasses nor phone calls. But, what can I do about it?
3 people like this
@kykidd (6812)
• United States
5 Jul 07
In Indiana where I live now, and in Kentucky (my home state) we have never had to pay taxes on food. How far are you from the state line? Maybe if everyone could drive to Kentucky and buy their food then maybe the WV government would change their taxing...LOL But who could afford the gas right!
• United States
5 Jul 07
LOL I live about 3 hour drive from the state line no matter which direction I go. LOL People who receive food stamps dont have to pay taxes on their food and that just is not fair.
2 people like this
• Canada
3 Aug 07
I`m in London Ontario and we are charged taxes on groceries that are not healthy , like chips , pop ,anything thats not good for you ...
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I live in Ohio, we are not taxed for food. We are taxed for food eaten in a restaurant. If we take the food outside of the restaurant to eat it, we are not taxed. We have taxes for everything else.
2 people like this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
6 Jul 07
We have them here also on food. We are suppose to have a tax cut to 3% on food that isn't made and served such as food from the deli at wal-mart or kroger. Our governor says he hopes to evidentually get rid of all food taxes. It would be nice but I am not going to hold my breathe because he promised that he would do away with them when he was elected then he said we couldn't do it right away. Thanks for the post. Have a great day.
@cblackink (969)
• United States
7 Jul 07
I live in North Carolina and we pay about 2% tax on food. Anything else you buy is taxed at 7% (non-food items). This state is very heavy on taxes. I live within the city limits of my area so I pay both city and county taxes. This state owns all stores that sell hard spirits and you pay taxes for buying them, not that I buy a lot but you get the picture. We pay taxes on gasoline, phone bills, internet access, etc...just about anything you can think of. And God forbid you are late on your state taxes here. They will come after you tooth and nail. But that tax on food really gets me.
1 person likes this
@dhouston (417)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Groceries and necessities such as clothing are not taxed in PA, NJ and DE.
2 people like this
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
5 Jul 07
In Michigan we have no taxes on food. I was surprised the first time I picked up food in another state while on vacation to see that there was tax there. I thought that I was being overcharged for my groceries until I figured out why they were charging me more than the prices marked.
1 person likes this
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I forgot to mention that the taxes here are 6% for nonfood items here.
1 person likes this
@RobinJ (2501)
• Canada
6 Jul 07
Hi Anne. I often wonder about taxes, In BC. we have a 7% as well a 6% federal tax. As for food it depends where you buy it and how much for example, if you buy 1 donut, you pay both taxes on it, if you go to a big grocery store and buy 6 or more you do not pay tax, If you go to walmart you can buy 100 and you will have to pay tax on it. I can not explain this so we won't even go there. I worked at a 7 Eleven for a few month and we had to learn what was taxable and what was not. and the idea was to give the poor a break. so the poor are not supposed to eat in a restaurant, buy from walmart, or but a single item.As well they are looking at additional tax on junk food, to stop our kids from eating it, Governments you got to love them lol
• United States
7 Jul 07
there are a few taxable items but most food isn't. they plenty of taxes elsewhere like clothes,newpsaper,magazines,you name it.they love to tax down here,lol
1 person likes this
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
5 Jul 07
I think our tax is for what they consider to be non edible goods. Even though some people eat cat food it is still taxable. Aside that. We pay I think 7 or 7.5 percent tax on eating in at restaurants and other non edible goods. We don't know where we will end up after selling our property. South Carolina is looking good at this point! lol
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
6 Jul 07
I live in Kentucky and there is no tax on food items that are bought in grocery stores. Non-edible items and food that is already prepared (deli items at the grocery) are taxed at 6%. I moved to Kentucky from North Carolina and there food items were taxed at 7%. It is so sad to be taxed on something necessary for life.
1 person likes this
• Canada
5 Jul 07
Do you pay taxes on all foods or just certain foods. For instance a pack of 6 cookies or less is taxable whereas a regular package is not taxed. Some items of food are taxed here, but basic food items are not.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Jul 07
Here in MN we don't pay taxes on certain food, we pay them mainly on junk food. We also don't pay taxes on clothing or certain types of shoes. We're lucky and the tax we do have is only 6.660%.
@sunkissed (4330)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Here in Arkansas we also pay 6% tax on all food. I think it is 7% on restaurant food.They passed a law last year to cut the tax on food in half as of July 1st. it was supposed to be cut down to 3%. It should be eliminated all together.I did not know you all payed taxes on grocerys too, I thougt Arkansas was the only state that did. Yhis is a shame that we muste pay taxes on the food that we have to buy.
1 person likes this
@trk918 (254)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Iowa, only on resturant food. The tax here depends on the county. 5% for state tax then some countys have local option tax. 1% or 2%. I live in a 2% county so we pay 7% on everything that is taxable.
1 person likes this