Official: Pringles aren't crisps

[Dave]

Pringles are more like a cake or a biscuit because they are manufactured from dough.

Mainly 'cos they are less than 50% potato. And now, unlike 'proper' crisps, they won't be VAT-able, so they'll get cheaper (17.5% cheaper? don't be silly...).

And on a related note, after seven years of trying, the EU has now defined what a 'proper tomato' is. Huzzah!

[Adrian]

 (17.5% cheaper? don't be silly...).

Be fair 14.9% cheaper would be the mark.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

So no VAT on Pringles, but the campaign to remove VAT from fruit smoothies failed. 

[hellymedic]

VAT must be paid on water but not milk or flavoured milk drinks.

[Cudzoziemiec]

That's kind of fair. Bottled water (I presume that's what you're referring to) is, in the UK, an unnecessary luxury when you can drink tap water; but milk is milk. Following that logic, though, it would seem flavoured milk should be VATed as it's a "luxury" form of milk 

[Ian H]

Crisps are made of thinly sliced potato. Pringles are moulded potato and monosodium glutamate goo.

[iakobski]

VAT must be paid on water but not milk or flavoured milk drinks.

Chocolate couverture in the form of buttons is a cooking ingredient and so VAT-free. Sell the same thing for people to eat as chocolate buttons, VAT is chargeable. Use two of them as the eyes for a gingerbread man, they are VAT free again. Add three more for his coat buttons, it becomes a chocolate biscuit and VAT is chargeable.

[Charlotte]

Crisps are made of thinly sliced potato. Pringles are moulded potato and monosodium glutamate goo.

Yeah, but I sometimes crave filthy food.

Nom nom nom 

[mrcharly-YHT]

What are they made from? They used to be potato flour and flavouring, please don't tell me they now have wheat flour in them 

I've looked it up. They contain substantial quantities of wheat starch. (they didn't in the past).

I ate a tube last week, still recovering. Used to be able to eat pringles. 

[Mr Larrington]

Crisps are made of thinly sliced potato. Pringles are moulded potato and monosodium glutamate goo.

Yeah, but I sometimes crave filthy food.

Nom nom nom 

Dipped in taramasalata

[Ian H]

What are they made from? They used to be potato flour and flavouring, please don't tell me they now have wheat flour in them 

I've looked it up. They contain substantial quantities of wheat starch. (they didn't in the past).

I ate a tube last week, still recovering. Used to be able to eat pringles. 

It might vary according to flavour. I notice the ingredients list on Pringles tubes is hugely long and in tiny type.

[Really Ancien]

Designer of Pringles buried in crisp tube - Telegraph

Damon.

[Greenbank]

From: Pringles ruling means they're VAT-free  - News, Food & Drink - The Independent

"Proctor & Gamble stands to save millions of pounds on UK sales of Pringles."

Anyone care to explain how? Or will they just bump up the wholesale price and assume the retailers will keep the retail price the same?

[Adrian]

From: Pringles ruling means they're VAT-free  - News, Food & Drink - The Independent

"Proctor & Gamble stands to save millions of pounds on UK sales of Pringles."

Anyone care to explain how? Or will they just bump up the wholesale price and assume the retailers will keep the retail price the same?

If they do not have to charge VAT on them, then for the same wholesale price there is a bigger margin for profit. They can afford to reduce the price by part of that increased margin and it is win win, well apart from the end consumer of course who still gets to eat them

[iakobski]

From: Pringles ruling means they're VAT-free  - News, Food & Drink - The Independent

"Proctor & Gamble stands to save millions of pounds on UK sales of Pringles."

Anyone care to explain how? Or will they just bump up the wholesale price and assume the retailers will keep the retail price the same?

If they do not have to charge VAT on them, then for the same wholesale price there is a bigger margin for profit. They can afford to reduce the price by part of that increased margin and it is win win, well apart from the end consumer of course who still gets to eat them

Not only that, but they will get back the millions of pounds they've paid to HMRC since they were classified as crisps, like M&S did with the teacakes ruling.

[pcolbeck]

If Pringles aren't crisps does that mean I can eat more of them ? I'm supposed to cutting down on crisps ...