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Dropping VAT will not necessary reduce food prices.

In 2009 the government reduced the restaurants VAT from 19.5% to 5.5%. Studies found that 30 months later prices had only dropped by 1.9%.

https://www.ipp.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/n32-notesIPP-m...

Hmm, this makes me wonder how a US-style sales tax might have compared in the same situation.

5.5% is already quite low. It's usually around 20%.

And that change in 2009 (Sarkozy) has been very controversial from the start, as the restaurant owners were supposed to use the tax break to boost employment but that did not happen (surprise!).

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Restaurants-shou...

Because there's no way the private enterprises will simply keep prices the same and pocket the difference.