DON’T TAX OUR HEALTH CHOICES! From March 1st 2019 the Government will be applying VAT at 23% to all Vitamin, Probiotic & Food Supplements. These supplements have been VAT free for the last 40 years!

A2 POSTER CODE: VAT03 A4 POSTER CODE: VAT04 +23% Available from Wholefoods VAT

HEALTH IS NOT A LUXURY!

SIGN THE PETITION TODAY!

@stopthisvat www.stopthisvat.ie What is happening:

The Revenue Commissioners have decided that on March 1st 2019, 23% VAT will be applied to all health food supplements. This includes Vitamins, Probiotics and Fish Oil.

What does this mean?

On March 1st 2019, retailers must apply 23% VAT to all health food supplements, resulting in a 23% price increase for consumers. Such a sudden and radical increase in taxation will put a huge strain on consumers and cause many to have to reconsider their approach towards managing their health. This is bound to seriously damage the local Irish businesses that are the cornerstone of the industry sector, particularly if consumers turn to the international Internet to try and obtain a better priced product.

What can I do:

• Sign the petition (online and in-store) which can be found at www.stopthisvat.ie.

• Additional petition hardcopies are available from Wholefoods Wholesale (product code: VAT02). Wholefoods drivers will happily take completed petitions back from you. Please ensure that all petitions are returned to Wholefoods by February 18th.

• Actively encourage customers to sign the petition and highlight what VAT will mean for their purchases.

• Email or write to your local minister or TD. Sample text can be found on page 3 of this document. Contact details can be found on pages 4-6.

• Share the social media assets which have been created for the campaign. The IHTA in association with HSI have created various assets to support this campaign. Health Stores Ireland members can download these assets from Google Drive. Alan McGrath, Health Stores Ireland ([email protected]) can advise you here if you are having any issues. Alternatively, these assets are also available on Dropbox. Any team member from Wholefoods, Naturalife or Natural Medicine Company will happily share the Dropbox link with you.

• Contact your local newspaper and radio station and make them aware of what is happening and that it will affect their listeners / readers and will negatively impact many local businesses. We have spokespeople who can be interviewed on air or for the newspaper. Please refer to the press release on page 7.

2 Sample Minister letter/email:

Dear Minister/TD,

As you are probably aware, the Revenue Commissioners have decided to impose 23% VAT on all food supplements on March 1st 2019.

I am writing to you as a business owner and consumer of food supplements to ask that you take whatever steps are within you power to prevent this from happening. I am extremely concerned that Revenue should take this action after asking the Government to legislate and when the Government has stated that it is seeking advice on how best to do so. It seems to me that this is completely undemocratic. I am glad that the Government are taking this proposal for a health-related tax so seriously. They should be given the time they need to make the right decision. I hope they will make sure that c onsumers are properly consulted in the process. I see no justification for the Revenue Commissioners at this stage to change the 0% rate of VAT that has been in place for 40 years and they should be stopped from doing so.

As a business person, I also have to say that to impose a 23% increase all in one go is draconian. You cannot impose such a huge increase without doing harm – harm to my business and the business sector as a whole, and harm to my customers, who will have to limit their ability to buy products which they find of real value in helping them manage their health.

If, at the end of the day the Government considers that it is appropriate to introduce a reduced rate of VAT on food supplements, it should be introduced at the lowest rate possible to reflect the health benefits that consumers get from consuming foodstuffs in this way and to avoid harming businesses and a business sector that provide real value to our society. However, my understanding is that the reason why foods are sold without VAT in Ireland is because they are important for heath; I cannot therefore see the justification for imposing VAT on a class of food which consists of foodstuffs that specifically do just that – particularly when 0% VAT is applied to foods like sugar, white bread and flour, salt and sauces, the damage to health caused by which is often the reason why food supplements are consumed in the first place.

I hope that you will take my concerns seriously and represent them to the Government in the Dail. I do not usually get involved in politics like this, but in this case my livelihood is being threatened by a change in policy that is completely unacceptable to me personally and as an Irish citizen.

Sincerely

*TD Contact details can be found on pages 4-6.

3 TD contact details:

Name Constituency PartyElected Email Bobby Aylward Carlow-Kilkenny Fianna Fáil [email protected] John McGuinness Carlow-Kilkenny Fianna Fáil [email protected] Carlow-Kilkenny [email protected] Carlow-Kilkenny Sinn Féin [email protected] Carlow-Kilkenny Fine Gael [email protected] Brendan Smith Cavan- Fianna Fáil [email protected] Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin Cavan-Monaghan Sinn Féin [email protected] Cavan-Monaghan Fine Gael [email protected] Cavan-Monaghan Fianna Fáil [email protected] Clare Fine Gael [email protected] Michael Harty Clare Independent [email protected] Clare Fine Gael [email protected] Clare Fianna Fáil [email protected] East Fine Gael [email protected] Kevin O'Keeffe Cork East Fianna Fáil [email protected] Pat Buckley Cork East Sinn Féin [email protected] Sean Sherlock Cork East Labour [email protected] Cork North-Central Fianna Fáil [email protected] Cork North-Central Fine Gael [email protected] Jonathan O'Brien Cork North-Central Sinn Féin [email protected] Mick Barry Cork North-Central - [email protected] Cork North-West Fianna Fáil [email protected] Cork North-West Fine Gael [email protected] Michael Moynihan Cork North-West Fianna Fáil [email protected] Donnchadh Uinseann O'Laoghaire Cork South-Central Sinn Féin [email protected] Michael McGrath Cork South-Central Fianna Fáil [email protected] Micheál Martin Cork South-Central Fianna Fáil [email protected] Cork South-Central Fine Gael [email protected] Cork South-West Fine Gael [email protected] Margaret Murphy O'Mahony Cork South-West Fianna Fáil [email protected] Michael Collins Cork South-West Independent [email protected] Charlie McConalogue Donegal Fianna Fáil [email protected] Joe McHugh Donegal Fine Gael [email protected] Pat the Cope Gallagher Donegal Fianna Fáil [email protected] Donegal Sinn Féin [email protected] Thomas Pringle Donegal Independent [email protected] Bay North Sinn Féin [email protected] Finian McGrath Dublin Bay North Independent [email protected] Dublin Bay North Fine Gael [email protected] Seán Haughey Dublin Bay North Fianna Fáil [email protected] Thomas P. Broughan Dublin Bay North Independents 4 change [email protected] Dublin Bay South [email protected] Dublin Bay South Fine Gael [email protected] Jim O'Callaghan Dublin Bay South Fianna Fáil [email protected] Kate O'Connell Dublin Bay South Fine Gael [email protected] Mary Lou McDonald Dublin Central Sinn Féin [email protected] Maureen O'Sullivan Dublin Central Independent [email protected] Dublin Central Fine Gael [email protected] Dublin Fine Gael [email protected] Brendan Ryan Dublin Fingal Labour [email protected] Dublin Fingal Independents 4 Change [email protected] Darragh O'Brien Dublin Fingal Fianna Fáil [email protected] Louise O'Reilly Dublin Fingal Sinn Féin [email protected] Eoin Ó Broin Dublin Mid-West Sinn Féin [email protected] Frances Fitzgerald Dublin Mid-West Fine Gael [email protected] Dublin Mid-West Solidarity - People Before Profit [email protected] John Curran Dublin Mid-West Fianna Fáil [email protected] Dessie J Ellis Dublin North-West Sinn Féin [email protected] Dublin North-West Fine Gael [email protected] Róisín Shortall Dublin North-West Social Democrats [email protected] Catherine Martin Dublin Rathdown Green Party [email protected] Dublin Rathdown Fine Gael [email protected] Dublin Rathdown Independent [email protected] Aengus Ó Snodaigh Dublin South-Central Sinn Féin [email protected] Brid Smith Dublin South-Central Solidarity - People Before Profit [email protected] Catherine Byrne Dublin South-Central Fine Gael [email protected] Joan Collins Dublin South-Central Independents 4 Change [email protected] Dublin South-West Fine Gael [email protected] Dublin South-West Fianna Fáil [email protected] Katherine E Zappone Dublin South-West Independent [email protected] Paul Murphy Dublin South-West Solidarity - People Before Profit [email protected] Seán Crowe Dublin South-West Sinn Féin [email protected] Jack Chambers Dublin West Fianna Fáil [email protected] 4 TD contact details:

Name Constituency PartyElected Oireachtas Email Dublin West Labour [email protected] Dublin West Fine Gael [email protected] Dublin West Solidarity - People Before Profit [email protected] Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael [email protected] Mary Mitchell O'Connor Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael [email protected] Dún Laoghaire Solidarity - People Before Profit [email protected] Seán Barrett Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael [email protected] East Fianna Fáil [email protected] Ciarán Cannon Galway East Fine Gael [email protected] Seán Canney Galway East Independent [email protected] Catherine Martina Ann Connolly Galway West Independent [email protected] Éamon Ó Cuív Galway West Fianna Fáil [email protected] Galway West Fine Gael [email protected] Galway West Independent [email protected] Seán Kyne Galway West Fine Gael [email protected] Brendan Griffin Kerry Fine Gael [email protected] Danny Healy-Rae Kerry Independent [email protected] John Brassil Kerry Fianna Fáil [email protected] Martin J Ferris Kerry Sinn Féin [email protected] Michael Healy-Rae Kerry Independent [email protected] Bernard J. Durkan Kildare North Fine Gael [email protected] Catherine Murphy Kildare North Social Democrats [email protected] Frank O'Rourke Kildare North Fianna Fáil [email protected] James Lawless Kildare North Fianna Fáil [email protected] Fiona M O'Loughlin Kildare South Fianna Fáil [email protected] Kildare South Fine Gael [email protected] Seán Ó Fearghaíl Kildare South Fianna Fáil [email protected] Brian Stanley Laois Sinn Féin [email protected] Laois Fine Gael [email protected] Sean Fleming Laois Fianna Fáil [email protected] Jan O'Sullivan City Labour [email protected] Limerick City Sinn Féin [email protected] Michael Noonan Limerick City Fine Gael [email protected] Willie O'Dea Limerick City Fianna Fáil [email protected] Limerick County Fianna Fáil [email protected] Patrick O'Donovan Limerick County Fine Gael [email protected] Tom Neville Limerick County Fine Gael [email protected] Kevin Boxer Moran Longford-Westmeath Independent [email protected] Longford-Westmeath Fine Gael [email protected] Longford-Westmeath Fianna Fáil [email protected] Longford-Westmeath Labour [email protected] Declan Breathnach Louth Fianna Fáil [email protected] Fergus O'Dowd Louth Fine Gael [email protected] Louth Sinn Féin [email protected] Louth Sinn Féin [email protected] Louth Independent [email protected] Mayo Fianna Fáil [email protected] Mayo Fine Gael [email protected] Lisa M Chambers Mayo Fianna Fáil [email protected] Mayo Fine Gael [email protected] Helen McEntee Meath East Fine Gael [email protected] Meath East Fine Gael [email protected] Thomas Byrne Meath East Fianna Fáil [email protected] Meath West Fine Gael [email protected] Peadar Tóibín Meath West Sinn Féin [email protected] Meath West Fianna Fáil [email protected] Offaly Fianna Fáil [email protected] Offaly Sinn Féin [email protected] Marcella Corcoran Kennedy Offaly Fine Gael [email protected] Roscommon-Galway Independent [email protected] Roscommon-Galway Fianna Fáil [email protected] Michael Fitzmaurice Roscommon-Galway Independent [email protected] Sligo-Leitrim Fianna Fáil [email protected] Marc MacSharry Sligo-Leitrim Fianna Fáil [email protected] Sligo-Leitrim Sinn Féin [email protected] Tony McLoughlin Sligo-Leitrim Fine Gael [email protected] Tipperary Labour [email protected] Tipperary Fianna Fáil [email protected] Mattie McGrath Tipperary Independent [email protected] Tipperary Independent [email protected] Seamus Healy Tipperary Independent [email protected] Sinn Féin [email protected] John Deasy Waterford Fine Gael [email protected] 5 TD contact details:

Name Constituency PartyElected Oireachtas Email John Halligan Waterford Independent [email protected] Waterford Fianna Fáil [email protected] Labour [email protected] James Browne Wexford Fianna Fáil [email protected] Michael W D'Arcy Wexford Fine Gael [email protected] Wexford Independents 4 Change [email protected] Wexford Fine Gael [email protected] Andrew Doyle Wicklow Fine Gael [email protected] John Brady Wicklow Sinn Féin [email protected] Wicklow Fianna Fáil [email protected] Simon Harris Wicklow Fine Gael [email protected] Stephen S. Donnelly Wicklow Fianna Fáil [email protected]

You will also receive these pre-typed postcards which can be posted by consumers to their local representatives.

6 Severe VAT increase will ‘’undermine people’s health and threaten important local businesses in [INSERT TOWN NAME]’’ says [INSERT COUNTY NAME] shop owner

A shop owner in [INSERT TOWN NAME] has warned that the immediate introduction of a 23% VAT rate on all food supplements, including vitamins, minerals and fish oils “does not respect people’s health choices” and will have a serious and long-lasting impact on people’s health and on local businesses across the county.

On 27th December 2018 the Revenue Commissioners introduced a blanket 23% VAT rate for all food supplements, to come into effect on 1st March 2019. For the past 40 years food supplements have been sold at the 0% rate, including products such as Vitamin C, cod liver oil and Omega 3.

[INSERT NAME], of [INSERT SHOP NAME AND LOCATION], says the unprecedented move by Revenue will have a serious negative impact on people’s health and be disastrous for many local businesses around the county.

[INSERT NAME], said; “this move means a 23% increase in the cost of vital food supplements, which will undermine the health of vulnerable people in our society such as the elderly and also those trying to manage their health through diet. In a society that is suffering from an epidemic of food-related diseases, to impose an immediate 23% increase in the cost of foodstuffs which are beneficial to your health, like Vitamin C or Vitamin D, makes no sense.’’

[INSERT NAME] went on to say; “people invest in food supplements out of their disposable income and such a radical increase in price is bound to push the cost beyond what many people can afford, seriously threatening the viability of the health stores and pharmacies who strive to offer this important health service. Health stores are particularly vulnerable because they are often small, independent businesses on the main street of small towns right across Ireland and to see these close would be hugely damaging to local communities.’’

According to industry figures, food supplements account for around 50% of health stores sales, and also an increasingly significant portion of revenue for Irish pharmacies. According to an iReach survey commissioned by the Irish Health Trade Association (IHTA), 71% of buy vitamins, minerals and other food supplements all year round, with 73% of those regular consumers doing so to “maintain and improve ongoing adult health.”

The IHTA has launched a campaign to appeal to the Revenue Commissioners and the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe not to increase VAT on food supplements and will be ramping up activity in the coming weeks.

Health Stores Ireland, the association for health food stores, and the Irish Pharmacy Union have also come out against the VAT increase.

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For further information please contact Rory Sweeney,Paul Allen & Associates Public Relations E: [email protected] | T: 086-897-6442 | 7 STOPSTOP THISTHIS TAXTAX SignSign the petition to tohelp help preserve preserve 0% 0% VAT VAT on onhealth health food food supplements supplements

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9 10 PETITION CODE: VAT02

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On March 1st 2019, Revenue will be adding 23% VAT to Food Supplements Vitamins and Minerals.

WE NEED Sign the Petition WE NEED 1 1 Sign the Petition. Your Money... Your Health! YOUR HELP! Contact your local TD/ Your Money...Your Health! 2 Contact your local TD/ YOUR HELP! 2Minister for support. Minister for support. Say NO... Sign the Petition Say NO...Sign the Petition Act FindFind your your local local TD atTD at www.whoismytd.comwww.whoismytd.com Now! StoreStore Name: Name: 3 3VoiceVoice your your opinion opinion online... #stopthisvatonline... #stopthisvat #stopthistax www.StopThisVat.ie