Your grocery shopping in Kansas will be a little cheaper starting Jan. 1. Here’s why
Your trip to the grocery store will be a little cheaper in 2023. That’s because starting Jan. 1, Kansas’ 6.5% food sales tax will be cut to 4%.
The tax cut only applies to “food and food ingredients,” which includes basic items like bottled water, milk, produce, bread, soft drinks and food that ordinarily requires additional cooking. It also includes dietary supplements and candy.
It does not include items like alcohol, tobacco and prepared foods.
The cut does not change local sales taxes imposed by counties or cities, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue.
This won’t be the last time Kansans will see a drop in their grocery bill. The tax will be dropped to 2% starting in 2024, and then 2025, the sales tax on groceries will be completely eliminated.
Gov. Laura Kelly pushed for the immediate elimination of food sales tax, but legislators ultimately passed the gradual reduction plan in April. Kelly signed House Bill 2106 into law in May.
While the food tax cut could save shoppers money, inflation continues to make the cost of living more expensive. Grocery prices have gone up on the Consumer Price Index all year, climbing 11.6% over the year in the Midwest.
This story was originally published December 30, 2022 at 11:23 AM.
