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Britain rules: Pringles are potato chips
upi ^ | May 21, 2009

Posted on 05/21/2009 1:49:20 PM PDT by NYer

An appeals court in Britain said Wednesday that Procter and Gamble's snack treat Pringles were, technically, potato chips and subject to sales tax.

The ruling has a potential to require the company to pay $155 million in back taxes and $31 million per year, but a Procter and Gamble spokesperson said prior arrangements with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs meant there were no back taxes due, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Foods are rarely subject to sales tax in Britain, but potato chips happen to be singled out as an exception.

The court heard arguments on whether or not Pringles, made 42 percent from potato and 33 percent from fat and flour, contained enough "potatoness," to be considered a potato chip, or crisp.

The court decided there was "more than enough potato content for it to be a reasonable view that it is made from potato," the Telegraph said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: britain; potatoes; pringles; uk
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1 posted on 05/21/2009 1:49:20 PM PDT by NYer
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To: NYer

If it walks like a duck...


2 posted on 05/21/2009 1:50:03 PM PDT by PetroniusMaximus
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To: NYer

“...and 33 percent from fat and flour...”

YUM!


3 posted on 05/21/2009 1:50:40 PM PDT by bolobaby
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To: NYer
An appeals court in Britain said Wednesday that Procter and Gamble's snack treat Pringles were, technically, potato chips and subject to sales tax.

Uhhh...

The consumer pays the sales tax.

The manufacturer has nothing to do with it.

4 posted on 05/21/2009 1:51:12 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam is a religion of peace, and Muslims reserve the right to kill anyone who says otherwise.)
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To: NYer
made 42 percent from potato and 33 percent from fat and flour

Ick.

5 posted on 05/21/2009 1:51:17 PM PDT by Glenn (Free Venezuela!)
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To: PetroniusMaximus

Actually its a ground up potatoe and other stuff extruded and fried.. Its not simply a sliced potoatoe fried in oil... I’d say calling it a chip is arguable... of course Brits consider french fries chips... so who the hell knows.

At least they got Doctor Who right.


6 posted on 05/21/2009 1:52:30 PM PDT by HamiltonJay
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To: NYer

What are crisps, then?


7 posted on 05/21/2009 1:52:37 PM PDT by sportutegrl (If liberals could do math, they would be conservatives.)
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To: Glenn

The other 25% makes up for it...


8 posted on 05/21/2009 1:53:06 PM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 122 of our national holiday from reality.)
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To: NYer
made 42 percent from potato and 33 percent from fat and flour,

Leaving the remaining 25 percent for crack cocaine and Szechwan flavoring to make you addicted and craving another can after an hour.

9 posted on 05/21/2009 1:53:09 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (No free man bows to a foreign king.)
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To: Glenn

42 + 33 = 75

Just as I suspected. 25% buttfunk.


10 posted on 05/21/2009 1:53:59 PM PDT by AH_LiveRight
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To: HamiltonJay
I’d say calling it a chip is arguable

Agreed. I'll take a genuine chip over this melange, any day.

11 posted on 05/21/2009 1:54:13 PM PDT by NYer ("Run from places of sin as from a plague." - St. John Climacus)
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To: NYer

Just because Pringles are vile muck posing as potato chips doesn’t make them so. They took a perfectly fine and basic food and managed to screw it up.

Instead of taxing them they should be fined.


12 posted on 05/21/2009 1:55:04 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (apparently today's subject is food)
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To: sportutegrl

next thing you know, they’ll call biscuits cookies.


13 posted on 05/21/2009 1:55:55 PM PDT by beefree (only a Jackwipe would disrespect Sarahcuda (somebody, please make a parody song))
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To: sportutegrl

Until I read this, I thought it was a potato chip and chip was the British word for french fry.


14 posted on 05/21/2009 1:56:10 PM PDT by HungarianGypsy
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To: sportutegrl
What are crisps, then?

Same thing - fancier name.

15 posted on 05/21/2009 1:57:16 PM PDT by NYer ("Run from places of sin as from a plague." - St. John Climacus)
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To: sportutegrl
What are crisps, then?

Fried cowpats.

16 posted on 05/21/2009 2:10:14 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham ("Baldrick, to you the Renaissance was just something that happened to other people, wasn't it?")
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To: NYer

A chip is a crisp (or a french fry) meant to be served with fish and a biscuit is a cookie which one has with tea around 4:00 PM. Unless you’re an American doing real work. Nice British custom, though. In Germany they give you wurst (brats), schnapps or beer for a mandatory beer break. Which one is better?


17 posted on 05/21/2009 2:11:13 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (apparently today's subject is food)
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To: NYer
I hate it when they do that!
What's the other 25%?
18 posted on 05/21/2009 2:20:14 PM PDT by Publius6961 (Change is not a plan; Hope is not a strategy.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

> The consumer pays the sales tax.
>
> The manufacturer has nothing to do with it.

True enough, but in the UK prices for consumers must be quoted including sales tax, so in this case it’ll be seen as the manufacturer putting the price up, rather than the government.


19 posted on 05/21/2009 2:20:56 PM PDT by MikeGranby
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To: MikeGranby
True enough, but in the UK prices for consumers must be quoted including sales tax,

LOL!
This is great, I love it!

Can you imagine in the US having to put different prices on 3000 or more different bags depending on location?

In California we have state, local, city and God knows how many different flavor of sales taxes.

20 posted on 05/21/2009 2:24:03 PM PDT by Publius6961 (Change is not a plan; Hope is not a strategy.)
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