Fig Rolls

[pcolbeck]

If Jaffa Cakes are cakes not biscuits as they start soft then go hard what about fig rolls, surely they are cakes too?

[Cudzoziemiec]

Hmm, that's an interesting question. But IIRC it's not strictly the starting soft and going hard, it's to do with baking processes? In any case, not being covered in chocolate, they're not subject to VAT so there's been no test case...

[hellymedic]

Hmm, that's an interesting question. But IIRC it's not strictly the starting soft and going hard, it's to do with baking processes? In any case, not being covered in chocolate, they're not subject to VAT so there's been no test case...

That is indeed the point. Cakes half-covered in chocolate do not attract VAT, whilst biscuits do.

Fig rolls aren't (usually) chocolate-coated.

[Paul H]

The VAT is based on them being a luxury item and whatever fig rolls are they're not that.

[hellymedic]

Peanuts attract VAT.
IMHO they aren't a luxury.

AIUI VAT is charged on 'ready to eat' snacks and drinks, though milk and milk products are either zero-rated or exempt.

So crisps, chocolate biscuits, bottled water and drinks get VAT but cashew kernels and chocolate chips for cooking are exempt.
Yazoo and Frijj don't get VAT. Evian does.

'Luxury' does not figure from what I see.

[jsabine]

Fig rolls aren't (usually) chocolate-coated.

I like fig rolls, I like chocolate, and I can feel an experiment coming on.

(A quick google suggests that they're not (readily) commercially available, so I'm more than justified in making my own ...)

[Cudzoziemiec]

Fig rolls are one of the three basic food groups along with beans on toast and apple crumble with custard, without which no audaxer can sustain life.

[Paul H]

'Luxury' does not figure from what I see.

That's the legal definition.  Cake is a necessity (obviously) chocolate biscuits are a luxury (Technically adding chocolate coating makes them confectionery, and it's that which is classed a luxury).  Plenty of other anomalies in the lists, nuts are zero rated unless they're roasted (Leave the the shells on and they stay zero), chocolate is standard rate, but chocolate chips are zero, crisps are std, yet corn based snacks are zero.  Although McVitie's was the famous court case there's been others, Pringles went to court and lost at a cost of millions, but I cant remember the detail.

[Wowbagger]

Fig rolls are the opposite of bicycles.

For bicycles, the number you need is n+1, where n is the number of bicycles you currently own.

For fig rolls, the number you need is n-1, so you have to eat the one in order to achieve n.

However, when n=0, you need a new packet.

[pcolbeck]

Fig rolls aren't (usually) chocolate-coated.

I like fig rolls, I like chocolate, and I can feel an experiment coming on.

(A quick google suggests that they're not (readily) commercially available, so I'm more than justified in making my own ...)

I'd buy chocolate covered fig rolls if they were available. Gap in the market I think.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Fig rolls are the opposite of bicycles.

For bicycles, the number you need is n+1, where n is the number of bicycles you currently own.

For fig rolls, the number you need is n-1, so you have to eat the one in order to achieve n.

However, when n=0, you need a new packet.

Genius applied mathematix!