Q&A: How will the new levy on retailers affect people?

Tesco, Kaufland, and Lidl will pay the levy as of January 2019.

A special levy on retailers comes into force in January 2019.A special levy on retailers comes into force in January 2019. (Source: TASR)

Big international retail chains will have to pay tens of millions of euros to the state budget. As a result, people may spend more on food at supermarkets from January.

Slovak National Party (SNS) Chairman Andrej Danko criticised retailers for the few Slovak products on their offer and high profit margins. At its December session, the parliament adopted a special levy of 2.5 percent on retailers' net sales. Analysts believe an increase in food prices may follow.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

The new rules are not as strict as expected. The initial SNS-authored draft bill was supposed to affect up to 90 percent of retailers in Slovakia.

SkryťTurn off ads

The list of the retailers who are to pay the new tax was shortened after several MPs implemented several amending proposals into the final law. Smaller retail stores as well as big retail stores in poorer regions have dropped out of the list.

Here are the answers to seven questions people are asking about the levy and its impact on their lives.

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

Foreigners' Police Department on Regrútska 4, Bratislava-Vajnory.

News digest: 20 questions for Foreigners' Police

New Zealand citizen assaulted in Bratislava, ex-interior minister taken to court, and another 'History Talks' edition.


31m
Volkswagen will make all-electric versions of the Porsche Cayenne luxury SUV.

News Digest: Volkswagen Slovakia to produce all-electric luxury SUV

LGBT+ minority could face new difficulties, a suspect is charged in the Daniel Tupý murder case.


24. mar
Filip Toška holding chard in the hydroponic Hausnatura farm.

How a Mayan doomsday prophecy took a Slovak to hi-tech agriculture

Hydroponic farm run out of former telephone exchange.


9. mar
Bratislava Foreigners' Police department.

FAQ: How to interact with the Foreigners’ Police

Some officers are good – but some, even the police admit, are ‘a disgrace to the force’.


4 h
SkryťClose ad