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RST Guide |
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June 2001 |
Retail Sales Tax Branch |
Food Products |
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About this Guide | The information in this Guide explains how Retail Sales Tax (RST) applies to food products. Please note that this Guide replaces the previous version dated March 1998. |
Food Products Defined |
Food products are for human consumption and include "poultry or other livestock purchased for human consumption, insulin, vitamins, artificial sweeteners and any dietary supplement or adjunct that is not a drug or medicine." |
Taxable Food Products |
The following are examples of food products on which RST is to be charged:
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Tax-Exempt Food Products |
The following are examples of food products that are exempt from RST:
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Other Products |
Drugs And Medicines |
Food products include any dietary supplement or adjunct that is not a drug or medicine. RST must be charged on patent medicines, such as throat lozenges, appetite suppressants, stimulants, tonics, and on any other product marketed with a claim to correct or modify bodily functions, unless sold on the prescription of a physician or dentist. Purchases of pet foods, pet food supplements, and insecticides and pesticides for external use on pets are subject to 8% RST, whether or not they are sold under the prescription of a physician or veterinarian. |
Herbal or Natural Products |
Substances or mixtures of substances that may be used for the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of disease or that may be used in restoring, correcting or modifying bodily functions are regarded as drugs or medicines and are subject to RST. Any dietary supplement or adjunct, including herbs and enzymes sold in capsule or tonic form, whose product label contains information claiming that the product will restore, correct, modify, or the like, a bodily function is considered a drug or medicine for the purposes of the Retail Sales Tax Act and is subject to RST. Exempt food products such as vitamins or tea remain exempt regardless of any claims made on a product label that the product will restore, correct, modify, or the like, a bodily function. The term "for therapeutic use" does not in and of itself render a product taxable. The information on the product label must make a claim to restore, correct, modify, or the like, a bodily function. Cosmetics, skin care items, and dried herbs and oils sold for external use only, are not food products and are subject to RST. |
Low Alcohol Wines And Beer |
Low alcohol beer, wine (carbonated), and sparkling wine coolers meet the definition of a soft drink and are taxable at the rate of 8%. If sold by an eating establishment, these drinks are not taxable when sold with prepared food products for a total charge of $4.00 or less. Non-carbonated low alcohol wine is a fruit juice and is exempt from RST, unless it is sold with prepared food products for a total charge of more than $4.00. |
For Further Information |
The information contained in this publication is only a guideline. For further information, please contact the nearest Ontario Ministry of Finance Tax Office listed in the blue pages of your telephone directory, call our TAX FAX service at 1-877-4-TAX-FAX (1-877-482-9329), or visit our Web site at www.rev.gov.on.ca/tare/html/trierst.htm. |
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© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2001 |