M&S in HMRC row over Wimbledon strawberry and cream sandwich
The £2.80 'game-changing' limited edition Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich is filled with the fruit and light whipped cream cheese on fluffy sweetened bread, the retailer said.
And that's where the issue gets tricky, says Rachel Harris, on her Instagram account accountant_she: "Most food, including sandwiches, is zero rated for VAT, meaning that we as customers don't pay VAT, and the businesses who sell them get better margins by keeping the sales prices low.
"But some food becomes taxable if it's classified as non essential, and this is things like confectionery and biscuits. So M&S are arguing that because it is packed like a sandwich, filled like a sandwich and is marketed like a sandwich, it is a sandwich, and so it should be zero rated for VAT.
"HMRC says something counts as confectionary when it is sweet and eaten with your fingers. So the tax experts are arguing that the bread is actually sweetened and it's eaten with your fingers and is therefore confectionary, which should have 20% of VAT included in the price.
"So we will be seeing this argument between M&S and HMRC in court."
M&S said its latest creation was inspired by Japanese 'sweet sandos', or fruit sandwiches.
M&S said: 'Inspired by the Japanese sweet sandos, recently spotted popping up in London's trendiest Japanese patisseries, our product developers have long dreamed of creating a dessert sandwich.
'With our exclusive Red Diamond Strawberries at their juiciest best, the time has finally come to create the ultimate strawberries and creme experience.
More M&S news:
'From alfresco lunches, afternoon tea at home, summer picnics, courtside snack breaks or a sweet afternoon pick me up, the Red Diamond Strawberries & Creme Sandwich is your go-to summer indulgence, wherever, whenever.
M&S Food first sold freshly made sandwiches in the 1920s, and expanded sales with pre-packed sandwiches in the 1980s.
The retailer's food halls have sold four billion sandwiches to date.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
10 minutes ago
- Reuters
Isuzu plans South Africa as hub for African truck production
GQEBERHA South Africa, Aug 15 (Reuters) - The South African arm of Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors (7202.T), opens new tab aims to be the manufacturing hub of commercial trucks for the African market, helping it increase volumes and locally sourced parts, its president said on Friday. Billy Tom, President and CEO of Isuzu Motors South Africa told Reuters he has been engaging with Japan on the plan. "We're saying to them, instead of producing vehicles in Japan, you've got a facility in Africa. We can produce the vehicles here," Tom said. Isuzu has done some successful trials of manufacturing a truck and its body locally, Tom said. Some of its truck bodies are imported from countries like China and the Middle East. The company's South African plant manufactures Isuzu D-MAX pickup trucks, assembles medium-heavy and extra-heavy commercial trucks and imports the Isuzu MU-X SUV for distribution to African markets. Its export volumes for trucks into the rest of Africa are very limited but it exports its pickups to more than 30 African countries. "So we've targeted West Africa as a starting point and then we'll see how it goes," Tom said. "We've been looking for opportunities in the African business. About six years ago 15% of my volumes were in Africa. That number is now 22% to 23%. Our ambition is to get that number to 45%." Tom is hoping to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area, ratified by 49 countries and launched in 2021, though less than half the member states actively trade under the framework of zero tariffs. The big seven car companies manufacturing in South Africa including Volkswagen ( opens new tab, Toyota (7203.T), opens new tab and Mercedes-Benz ( opens new tab are looking at ways to safeguard their production volumes as the influx of imports, especially from China, threaten the local industry. South Africa's automotive masterplan has set a target of 60% local content by 2035 but has remained stagnant at 39%, Minister Parks Tau told delegates earlier in the week at an auto parts conference. The plan also targets between 1.3 million and 1.5 million vehicles produced in South Africa by 2035 from a current average of 600,000 units. "That threat of deindustrialization is there and probably getting bigger as well, because if you look at the growth of what is imported into the country, that number is growing," Tom said. Some 64% of vehicles sold in the country are imports, and Tau has said that through the country's international trade administration body, his department will probe the impact of automotive imports on local production.
North Wales Live
an hour ago
- North Wales Live
Boden's £140 'versatile' jacket stylish for summer and autumn now £56
Boden shoppers have been raving about a 'versatile' jacket that is stylish for both the summer and autumn seasons. The Holly Collared Knitted Jacket is currently on sale, with its initial retail price ranging from £130 to £140 down to as little as £52 to £56, which means shoppers can save as much as £84. The jacket comes in three different colours - navy and ivory (was £140 now £56), warm ivory (was £130 down to £52) and strawberry tart red (was £130 down to £52), with sizes ranging from 6 to 22. The Holly Collared Knitted Jacket comes with gold-tone buttons, which adds a touch of elegance to the clothing. It also comes with a neat, boxy cut, creating a regular, easy shape that isn't too tight. You could style this jacket with a pair of trousers, skirt or dress for any informal or formal setting. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here. Elsewhere, Joanie's Soft Tailored Blazer, which comes in eight different colours, was £99 but is now as low as £39.60. But for a jacket with a different style, you could purchase the Per Una Pure Cotton Embroidered Gilet for £49.50 at M&S. Back at Boden and the Holly Collared Knitted Jacket has received a rating of 4.5 out of five stars and 66 reviews. One happy reviewer said: "Fits perfectly. Very good quality and looks fantastic". While another had one issue with its sizing, they were overall happy with their purchase. They said: "This is a fabulous jacket and excellent quality. I purchased size 12 and body wise it fits me perfectly but I am short so it may be too short for a taller lady. Sleeves are too long for me but I will shorten them". Meanwhile, another shopper described the jacket as "very chic" with "Parisian vibe" and said they would be "stylish in summer and autumn". They added: "Gorgeous button detail. Bargain in sale too. Thank you Boden. Very happy indeed". Unfortunately, not everyone was pleased with their purchase. One customer reviewed: "Lovely jacket and beautiful colour. Unfortunately the style didn't suit me, so I sent it back. The return/refund was quick and easy." And another shopper said: "I ordered this thinking it was more of a cardigan, my fault as it does say jacket. It is quite heavy and felt a bit stiff and uncomfortable. Also quite short in the body so unfortunately not for me I returned it." But others praised the jacket for its versatility. "Such great quality and I can wear it with jeans, smart dress and as a jacket with lots of other clothing," one remarked. And another said: "Beautiful knitted jacket! I have worn with jeans and kitten slingbacks as a casual outfit but could definitely wear with smart navy trousers, very versatile. "The knit is beautiful and a good weight to it, very good quality as usual from Boden. The fit is true to size."
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
The Claire's shops that could close as retailer falls into administration
Claire's shops across the UK could face closure after the retailer filed for administration. The jewellery and accessories business filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators on Wednesday – with Interpath expected to take on the role in the coming days. The move will raise fears over the future of its 306 stores, with 278 across the UK and 28 in Ireland. The potential closures mean 2,150 jobs could be at risk. For now, Claire's shops remain open after Interpath confirmed in a statement on Wednesday evening it appointed Will Wright and Chris Pole as joint administrators. It comes after Claire's US and Canada commenced court-supervised restructuring proceedings after filing for bankruptcy. Separate proceedings are already ongoing in Germany and Austria. Chris Cramer, chief executive of Claire's, said: 'This decision, while difficult, is part of our broader effort to protect the long-term value of Claire's across all markets. 'In the UK, taking this step will allow us to continue to trade the business while we explore the best possible path forward. We are deeply grateful to our employees, partners and our customers during this challenging period.' With more than 300 stores in the UK and Ireland, all four nations could be impacted by store closures. Below is a full list of how many Claire's shops could be at risk of closure across each region in the UK and Ireland. London and Greater London – 20 North East – 9 North West – 27 Yorkshire – 21 East Midlands – 17 West Midlands – 25 South East – 49 East of England – 25 South West – 27 Scotland – 27 Wales – 17 Ireland – 10 Claire's has more than 280 stores across the UK, but the business incurred losses of around £25million over the last few years prompting it to file for administration. Sean Moran, restructuring and insolvency partner at law firm, Shakespeare Martineau, said the rise of new online stories, the popularity of social media platforms, and US President Donald Trump's recent tariff hikes could all be factors in the retailer's demise. He told Metro: 'The fashion and accessories space has been flooded with new competition in recent years. 'From new online stores pushing the boundaries of fast fashion prices, like Shein and Temu, which benefit from low value import loopholes, to entirely new retail platforms surging in popularity, like Instagram and TikTok, the retailers largely 'bricks and mortar' presence has struggled to compete. 'Ongoing geopolitical considerations, including Trump's much publicised tariff onslaught, combined with a general downturn in consumer and high street spending, created a perfect storm for the well-loved brand.' Claire's is the latest wave of British high street retailers closing with dozens of shops to close in August. More Trending Arts and crafts store Hobbycraft recently announced it would be closing nine more stores this year as the company continues to go through a restructuring process. Supermarket chain Morrisons revealed it axed more than 3,600 jobs after closing 17 of its stores last year. Meanwhile, River Island was close to meeting the same fate as Claire's but was saved from collapsing into administration. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: The common pub habit that marks you out as a 'nightmare' punter MORE: Capri pants are the hybrid item to see you through summer well into autumn MORE: Anya Hindmarch's Universal Bag is making a comeback – here's how to get your hands on the designer tote
