Starting from July 1, Estonia's general VAT rate, which currently also applies to food, is 24 percent.

Guzanova told the magazine that in a situation where a kilogram of chanterelles costs €30 and a kilo of potatoes €7, meaning that it costs €40 to feed a family of four a simple dish of potatoes and chanterelle sauce, one has to ask what will become of Estonian culture and identity.

"It's no longer simply high cost of living — prices in grocery stores have become absurd," she said.

"I don't even want to think about the situation of families making minimum wage or living off pension, who can barely make ends meet. People who can never afford high-quality ingredients or culinary sensations that broaden the mind and bring joy," the cooking show winner said.

Guzanova has started a petition, which will be available to sign from Thursday, July 3, to introduce a lower VAT rate on food of 10 percent in Estonia.

Currently, food prices in Estonia are 109 percent of the European Union average (Eurostat, 2024), while the average gross salary falls 36 percent short of the EU average (Eurostat, Q1, 2025). Estonians spend 19 percent of their income on food, compared to the EU average of 13 percent.

For this reason, we believe it is necessary to lower the VAT rate on food products in order to ensure better access to essential food for everyone, reduce economic inequality, support public health, and fulfill the state's constitutional duty to guarantee decent living conditions and protect human dignity, the petition reads.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook, Bluesky and X and never miss an update!