For some time now I have been a keen e-book reader, and am very happy with my Kindle. I probably have less than one hundred books on it so far but the amount of shelf space that even that number would take up is considerable.
So far so good.
My problem is with the tax treatment of e-books.
If I buy books in the more traditional hardback or paperback format I am not charged any VAT. If however I buy e-books then I am charged VAT. Why? I don't understand the difference because at the end of the day the content is the same, possibly even less as some e-books are without some of the pictures you get in the print version.
This seems to me to be counter productive. E-books do not require trees to be chopped down to make paper, do not require vast warehouses to store, no fuel guzzling trucks to distribute and no shelf space at retailers.
All in all this should actually be reason for the government to offer an incentive as they are more environmentally friendly. So why then are we charged VAT to buy them? The only reason I can see is greed - yet another way to extract money from Joe Public for the government coffers.
I will be writing to my MP and the government. I am not hopeful for a change of policy however!
I blame the unelected government for this nonsense. ;)
ReplyDeleteAn interesting thought, but is this the case?
DeleteI am sure it is a pre-existing VAT rule that e-books have fallen into because no one forsaw such technology.
E-books have been around for many years now and predate the present government by some time so they cannot be held totally responsible, though I admit they are in a position to do something about it as I will be putting in my letter to them.