[bitontheslide]

The rolls used in Subway's hot sandwiches contain too much sugar to be considered bread, according to Ireland's Supreme Court.

Ireland's highest court made the ruling in a case about how the bread is taxed.

An Irish franchisee of the US company had claimed it should not pay VAT on the rolls it uses in heated sandwiches.

But the court ruled that because of the level of sugar in the rolls they cannot be taxed as bread, which is classed as a "staple product" with zero VAT.

Under Ireland's VAT Act of 1972, ingredients in bread such as sugar and fat should not exceed 2% of the weight of flour in the dough.

The five judges, who were considering an appeal by Bookfinders Ltd, a Subway franchisee based near Galway, concluded that in Subway sandwiches the sugar content is around 10% of the flour in the dough for both white and wholegrain rolls.

"Subway's bread is, of course, bread," said a spokesperson for Subway.

"We have been baking fresh bread in our stores for more than three decades and our guests return each day for sandwiches made on bread that smells as good as it tastes."

In Irish law, bread is considered a staple food and has a zero rate of VAT. Following the ruling, the rolls are subject to tax at 13.5%.

The case stems from a decision by Ireland's tax authority in 2006 to refuse Bookfinders' request for a refund on VAT payments made between 2004 and 2005.

After an appeal commissioner upheld the tax authority's refusal of a refund, Bookfinders took its case to the High Court which it lost before going to the Court of Appeal, where it was also unsuccessful.

It is not the first time Subway's bread has been in the spotlight. In 2014, the company announced it was removing azodicarbonamide - the so-called "yoga mat" chemical - from its rolls.

The chemical is used to whiten flour and improve the condition of dough. It is also used to make vinyl foam products such as yoga mats and the underlay for carpets.

Subway stopped using the agent six years ago but the US Food and Drug Administration continues to approve the use of the chemical in produce.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54370056

[Niamh.]

Maybe they should try reducing the sugar in their rolls, sounds very unhealthy

[LeatherTrumpet]

All this may do is force sales underground

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

All this may do is force sales underground

They're going to have to make their dough back somehow

[bitontheslide]

i can't get past this quote

"Subway's bread is, of course, bread," said a spokesperson for Subway.

[Toy Soldier]

Is it technically, then, classed as... cake? Because that would be amazing.

"I'll have a 6 inch BLT please"
"What cake?"
"Italian cake "

[LeatherTrumpet]

The starch in potatoes is converted to sugar in your body. For that reason, potatoes can have a more significant effect on blood glucose than table sugar.


But are they coming for the Spud?

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

The starch in potatoes is converted to sugar in your body. For that reason, potatoes can have a more significant effect on blood glucose than table sugar.


But are they coming for the Spud?

Leave the spuds alone and have a look at your haggis

[Liam-]

Yet banana bread is still classed as bread

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Liam-

Yet banana bread is still classed as bread

Is it? I mean is it taxed like bread or is it just called bread?

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Leave the spuds alone and have a look at your haggis

ooo, you are offal

[Ammi]

...it’s quite scary really that Subway fans .../...some of them...have been regularly eating the sandwiches and having salad etc as part of the filling to give a balance of healthy with whatever else their filling choice would be...and not knowing the sugar content is so much that it doesn’t come within its description...

[arista]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...it’s quite scary really that Subway fans .../...some of them...have been regularly eating the sandwiches and having salad etc as part of the filling to give a balance of healthy with whatever else their filling choice would be...and not knowing the sugar content is so much that it doesn’t come within its description...

Yes Salad and Hot Sausage
Italian Bread roll

[Ammi]

...you want me to go get it for you right now, Arista ...or will 10 minutes be ok when I shower and get dressed...?...