Overview
- The NGG released a WMP Consult study on Thursday showing that 91 percent of about 180,000 dishes saw no price change after the VAT fell from 19% to 7%, about 8 percent rose and 1 percent fell.
- The study found average menu prices rose by 0.5 percent, which the union says means the tax relief was kept by operators rather than passed to customers.
- A separate NGG survey of roughly 2,100 hospitality workers found high stress and retention risks, with about 71 percent considering leaving, 79 percent reporting short‑notice schedule changes and many unable to recover after long shifts.
- Dehoga disputed the union's framing and said around 73 percent of businesses kept prices stable, stressing that operators reacted differently to the VAT change.
- The tax cut, introduced on January 1, 2026 at an estimated cost of €4 billion to support a sector hit by rising costs and insolvencies, has now become a central issue in tariff talks and could intensify demands for employers to use relief for higher pay and better hours.