The 0 per cent VAT applied to a basket of 46 food products has been extended until the end of 2023.

After launching the measure last April, the government decided to extend Zero VAT until 31 December this year. According to the government, the measure has helped to reduce the effects of inflation, as it has allowed prices for the products in the basket to fall by almost 10 per cent.

The 46 essential goods, chosen with the help of the Direção-Geral de Saúde, are:

Vegetables

• Onion
• Tomatoes
• Cauliflower
• Lettuce
• Broccoli
• Carrot
• Courgette
• Leek
• Pumpkin
• Sprouts
• Portuguese cabbage
• Spinach
• Turnip

Fruit

• Apple
• Banana
• Orange
• Pear
• Melon

Cereals and tubers

• Bread
• Potatoes
• Pasta
• Rice
• Gluten-free products for coeliac patients

Pulses

• Kidney bean
• Cowpea
• Chickpeas
• Peas

Meat, fish and eggs

• Pork
• Chicken
• Turkey meat
• Beef
• Cod
• Sardine
• Hake
• Horse mackerel
• Canned Tuna
• Golden Bream
• Mackerel
• Hens' eggs

Dairy products

• Cow's milk
• Yogurts
• Plant-based drinks and yogurts
• Cheese

Fats and Oils

• Olive oil
• Vegetable Oil
• Butter

To find out more about a balanced diet based on this list of foods, see the "Manual for healthy eating with the 0% VAT basket".

Source: Portal do Governo