16 October 2026
The G&LC and Bira has welcomed plans to make online marketplaces collect VAT but warns that proposed exemptions could undermine the crackdown.
G&LC parent company Bira has responded to reports in The Times that Chancellor John Healey will use the Budget to make platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Temu responsible for collecting VAT owed by sellers, with the proceeds expected to fund business rates cuts for small to medium businesses, including those in the giftware and lifestyle sector both on and off the high street.
Bira welcomes the move to tackle VAT fraud by online sellers but is concerned that by closing one loophole, the Treasury risks creating two new ones. Under the reported plans, marketplaces would only collect VAT for sellers with an annual turnover above £90,000, and second-hand products could be exempt. Bira warns that these carve-outs will be exploited by sellers looking to evade VAT, leaving the revenue raised well below the expected £1bn.
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: "The headline is positive, but the devil is in the detail, and we will not see VAT evasion stopped if the carve-outs for the VAT threshold and second-hand products remain in place. All sales should incur VAT, full stop. These changes would provide much needed income to reduce business rates and go some way to levelling the competition between online and physical shops. Both of these benefits are at risk because of these exemptions.
"The Government has an opportunity to deliver meaningful reform that tackles VAT fraud, levels the playing field and raises much needed revenue for the Exchequer to support small retailers on the high street. But retaining broad exemptions for smaller sellers and second-hand goods risks creating new fraud loopholes that undermine these objectives. We urge Ministers to resist pressure to water down the proposals and ensure the reforms deliver a fairer system for businesses that already play by the rules.”
Sarah Ward, Executive Director of The G&LC, said: “Gift and Lifestyle retailers and SMEs need a fair and consistent trading environment, particularly at a time when they are already facing significant cost pressures.
"Independent retailers and small suppliers are meeting their VAT obligations, and it is important that online sellers using marketplaces are held to the same standards. We welcome action to tackle VAT fraud, but exemptions for smaller sellers or second-hand goods could leave significant gaps that are exploited, weakening the benefits for compliant businesses and reducing the revenue available to support SMEs.”
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