The Consumer Council's been inundated about GST

The Consumer Council's been inundated with questions and complaints about GST.

The new tax has been in force for three weeks.

But the biggest concern's been the cost of food.

The Consumer Council says its priority is tackling price transparency.

It's in talks with Data Protection about consumers being able to ask stores for records of their shopping habits.

And it wants prices to be listed on websites so shoppers can compare them

As if anything will be doen about it.....

I just hope we do not go down that GST route as prices are high enough now.

GD wrote:The Consumer Council's been inundated with questions and complaints about GST.
...

But were any of the complaints justified? or just the public not understanding GST? I think GST is for the most part a fair and simple tax, just because so many people don't understand it doesn't mean it's wrong.

GD wrote:...The Consumer Council says its priority is tackling price transparency...

What does that mean? GST is 3%, so if the total price of a litre of milk is £1.03 the GST is the 3p and the core selling price is £1. Very simple, very transparent.

GD wrote:...It's in talks with Data Protection about consumers being able to ask stores for records of their shopping habits...

Where's the source on this GD? The only local food retailer who could do this would be the CO-OP, and only then for shareholder. If the CC are looking into this they're wasting their time and money.

GD wrote:...And it wants prices to be listed on websites so shoppers can compare them...

If the CC wants that they can have it.... only they don't want to have to do it themselves do they, they want the retailers to do it for them, at the retailers cost; which gets passed on to the consumer and which they'll complain about as prices rise.

I see in tonight's JEP a local retailer is blaming the administration of GST for his closure. I'm sure everybody will feel very sorry for him and Messers Le Sueur, Walker et al will again be demonised.... but in the article he admits he doesn't turn over more than £300,000, and therefore doesn't need to register for GST.

I wonder how long and complicated the administration of nothing really is???

He claims in the article that GST came as a shock to him, err how? It didn't exactly creep in unnoticed.

I wish people would stop blaming their misunderstanding of the tax on GST being to blame.