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Pasty Tax: Greggs Boss Accuses Osborne Of Losing Touch As Snack Debate Heats Up On Twitter

PA/Huffington Post UK  |  By   |  Posted: 28/03/2012 07:36 Updated: 28/03/2012 09:26

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Greggs is now trending on Twitter

The boss of Greggs has accused George Osborne of having "lost touch" after the Chancellor admitted he could not remember the last time he bought a pasty from the baker.

Chief executive Ken McMeikan said ministers did not appreciate the impact changes to VAT rules would have on ordinary people.

The high street chain saw millions wiped off its shares after the Budget closed a loophole that has meant some hot takeaway foods, such as sausage rolls and pasties, escaped the duty.

George Osborne is getting a grilling over the 'pasty' tax as lovers of the Cornish staple get hot and cross over the Chancellor's plans to rise the price of the meaty snack.

The Conservative Minister is finding that you dough-n't mess with pasty lovers.

A government e-petition has been launched, and a Facebook group 'Say No to the Pasty Tax' has been set up, with over 4000 members (and 18 photos). The cause to save the snack is even attracting attention from further afield with one American facebook user asking:

"Since there are lots of non-UK residents who are excluded from signing this petition, but feel strongly about the subject, is there a way to start a non-resident petition...a little extra pressure might help."

However it seems the operation to save the beloved snack is in need of direction, with dissension breaking out among the pasty purists.

"Who ever is in charge of this site can they change the picture please?????? . Diced turnip in a pasty ??? no wonder this world is going to ruin" has been posted on the group's wall.

Discussions have digressed from the pasty-in-hand, with commenters sharing their individual woes over the demise of the pasty. "Erggghhh, I had one with sweetcorn and brussel sprouts once :( Wrong on so many levels!" another foodie fan wrote.

Greggs, the champion of the pasty, has been trending on Twitter on Wednesday morning, with many joining in the pasty vs steak bake discussion.

Take a look at some of the pasty jokes circulating on Twitter

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The boss of Greggs has accused George Osborne of having "lost touch" after the Chancellor admitted he could not remember the last time he bought a pasty from the baker. Chief executive Ken McMeikan...
The boss of Greggs has accused George Osborne of having "lost touch" after the Chancellor admitted he could not remember the last time he bought a pasty from the baker. Chief executive Ken McMeikan...
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northern git
fed up with all the political crap in life
187 Fans
09:46 AM on 03/29/2012
The boss of Greggs has accused George Osborne of having "lost touch" after the Chancellor admitted he could not remember the last time he bought a pasty from the baker.

How daft to accuse osborne of losing touch!

osborne never has been nor will he ever be in touch

he is too rich ever to come down to the level of the ordinary man and doubt he would never touch a pasty ever again
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mas4rr
3 Fans
05:08 PM on 03/28/2012
George Osborne is correct in closing this loop- hole to prevent the likes of
Greggs continuingly exploiting this.

It is plain to see that their operation is to use skilled staff to orchestrate a drip feed of frozen food products (raw) into their convection ovens in order to sell them hot to their customers who normally eat them straight away. I have never seen a cooled down or cold one being kept in a refrigerator ready to be served cold.

Their practices has allowed them to un- fairly compete with other food outlets that charge and pay the VAT
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ronnietmaxwell
3 Fans
01:06 PM on 03/28/2012
What makes Greggs so special?. It is only a loophole in the law that allowed them getting away with selling hot food and not levying VAT on their sales. It is well overdue that the loophole was closed. The VAT raised from the sale of hot food put to good use bolstering the taxpayers deficit position.
Like all commercial organisations, Greggs will moan about the imposition of the tax levy on their fares but they will just have to put up with it. It makes me sick them moaning as if they are the "people's champion". It is like MacDonald's doing the same. Don't be kidded. These are rich commercial organisations and they will soon enough find a way to make up the lost profits.
Fortunately this VAT decision will help the small family traders (those whose turnover is less than £70,000) as they will not have to charge VAT on their 'hot' pasty sales. So, if as a consumer, you don't want to pay VAT on your 'hot' pasty purchases, my advice would be to support your small local independent bakers (where they don't have to charge it) or buy a pasty cold and take it home or to your office to heat it up.
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hardyphsh
10 Fans
01:30 PM on 03/28/2012
it's about time this sort of thing was put right and atleast it will now push the public closer to the independent trader who needs a break from the big boys who consistantly flex their muscles
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freddiefoden
13 Fans
12:48 PM on 03/28/2012
Please can you tell me ! ,Can I claim V.A.T back on a Cheese ,bacon and Onion pasty that was over cooked ?,should I make a note of this on my Tax return ?,and also do I have to pay V.A.T on a sausage roll that was part of a buy one get one free deal ?,tricky one !.
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robsh51
9 Fans
12:54 PM on 03/28/2012
well you could try tell them it is an allowance like you can get for work clothing/shoes
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freddiefoden
13 Fans
01:14 PM on 03/28/2012
Thank you !,
You have been most helpful ,this is such a difficult one !, as I bought 2 pastys and a sausage roll on Tuesday !,Am I eligable to pay capital gains tax or death duties for these savoury's ?????, as my Aunt was eating one of these at the time she died ??.
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Edgar H
Keep the Press free!
94 Fans
11:51 AM on 03/28/2012
Most amusing Herr Flick, der englanders are in a frenzy uber ein pasty tax, Der Fuhrer will be rocking mit Eva in der fuhrerbunker.
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robsh51
9 Fans
11:36 AM on 03/28/2012
Come on The only people that call it a Pasty is the Cornish as my late Grandmother was Cornish i know but i also know when you cross over into Cornwall we always got told we had to change our monry into stones as this is the currency used in Cornwall so how can Osbourne tax stones.
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RamblerBill
33 Fans
10:48 AM on 03/28/2012
"Let them eat cake"
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lemonfairydust
8 Fans
10:43 AM on 03/28/2012
It's a PASTY. Jesus, how can people get so worked up over this pointless tripe?!
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rayjsj55
16 Fans
10:20 AM on 03/28/2012
Osborne just looks so 'Smug' ,makes you want to punch him.(not really, Huff).
Well I hope there are enough Bankers and folks earning over £150,000 to vote for them next time, because they have alienated everyone else who 'might' have voted for them.
Public suicide is so sad to watch.
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janno000
60 Fans
10:19 AM on 03/28/2012
Although the article describes the pasty as a 'snack' for a lot of people on a low income a pasty is a meal.
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robsh51
9 Fans
01:38 PM on 03/28/2012
True but Cornish Pasties that the Miners ate used to be meat,veg one end and a savory sweet the other
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Saint wright
Dyslexic old chippy
284 Fans
 
09:36 AM on 03/28/2012
this conservative party under Cameron are going to self destruct, if they keep attacking their own folk and having idiot tax laws like this. In opposition going to rduce immigation to 10 to 15K per annum, 260,000 last year on their watch?
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davm744
57 Fans
09:27 AM on 03/28/2012
VAT = value added tax , does a hot pasty have more value than a cold one , of course not , it has the nutritional value hot or cold . then we have to think the government want us to be more green and save energy , buying a hot pasty makes more sense than taking a cold one home and putting it in the microwave , why should good fresh food be cooked twice and harm the ozone layer george ??????????? . george you are a buffoon and you will be defeated when you try and prove a hot pasty is more valuable than a cold one .
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Barbara Longstaff
105 Fans
09:27 AM on 03/28/2012
What a pathetic idiot George Osbourne is, wonder what he eats. Looking at him in the pic he just seems to drink. An old soak.
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ferreteto
13 Fans
09:23 AM on 03/28/2012
not only is osborne out of touch he looks a smug git also
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George McAulay
Delighted to meet you
958 Fans
08:33 AM on 03/28/2012
So many puns! I applaud you.
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