New bill in Italy proposes VAT relief on pet food and vet products

The Italian Chamber of Deputies (Camera dei deputati) is considering a bill to permanently bring pet food and veterinary services to a subsidized range from the luxury bracket it currently rests in.

The bill, sponsored by 2 representatives from the center-right political party Forza Italia, aims to reduce value-added tax (VAT) on pet food products and veterinary services from 22% to 10%.

According to market research institute Eurispes, each Italian pet parent spends between €30 ($32.5) and €100 ($108) per month on pet supplies. 

For Rosaria Tassinari, one of the bill’s sponsors, this can “become a burden” for families without significant economic capacity. “Reducing the tax burden on basic pet care necessities could help mitigate this problem by helping families keep their pets and reduce straying,” she explains. 

Unclear timeline

The Italian Consumer Association Assopets, which has supported the bill, believes that reducing VAT in pet food and veterinary services is a “matter of civility” that can’t wait. 

“Other countries in Europe are much more advanced than we are in this area,”  Assopets’ President Filippo Maturi tells GlobalPETS.

“We hope that Parliament gives the proper importance to this bill, which affects the lives of millions of families in Italy. We are confident that the public’s awareness of this issue has already changed. It is time for politics to do its part.”

A longstanding demand

Maturi warns that the Italian legislative process is “slow and complicated” and that it can take years for a bill to come into effect. 

Italy’s Association for Pet Feeding and Care (ASSALCO) and the National Association of Italian Veterinarians (ANMVI) previously sent a letter to the Italian government in 2020 asking for a VAT reduction in line with some other European countries. 

If approved, the VAT reduction in pet and vet supplies is expected to result in a burden of €30 million ($32.5M) for the state finances in 2024.