The inspector-general of ASAE revealed in Parliament on Wednesday that 174 criminal cases had been identified for non-compliance with the “zero VAT” measure, with 2,000 economic operators having been inspected. Luís Filipe Cardoso Lourenço said that the measure had resulted in a “real reduction” in the price of products.
“At the beginning of the pact, there was a decrease of more than 6% in relation to the initial price of the basket, and this monitoring continued until December. There was a real decrease [in prices] in terms of families’ incomes,” said Filipe Cardoso Lourenço, at the Economy, Public Works, Planning and Housing Committee, at the request of the PSD.
The inspector general of ASAE said that although the zero VAT basket ends this Thursday, inspections will continue. “We will continue to monitor to detect these situations,” he said.
Asked by Chega MP Filipe Melo about the possible exploitation of economic agents with the end of the measure, Filipe Cardoso Lourenço hopes that these “operators will respect the law”. “We have no information about what will happen in the next few days. Prices are free, the application of prices is not based on the law,” he said.
The head of ASAE added that “the situation has stabilized” and that there had been no “pre-increase in prices” in recent days. “We are confident that the associations representing the sectors will continue to keep their commitments,” he said.
Problem with the price of olive oil
PCP MP Bruno Dias also raised the issue of the price of olive oil, which keeps rising, considering that there is “a problem”. The inspector-general of ASAE noted that 20 criminal cases had been opened in relation to this product for “goods fraud”, stressing that it is “the quality of the product that is in question”.
The reduction in VAT on 46 food products to 0% will end this Thursday. As JN reported, the end of the measure will mean a minimum increase of around eight euros on the products covered until now.