A reduction in the cost of dog and cat food is on the horizon. The 2026 Budget Law could introduce a VAT reduction on pet food, especially for veterinary diets. The proposal, at the center of amendments presented in recent days, aims to equate animal food with basic necessities or even medicines.
The proposal: VAT from 22% to 4% or 10%
The objective is simple: to move pet food from the current VAT rate of 22% to a reduced rate. The aim is for 4%, the same as for essential medicines, or at least 10%, reserved for other basic necessities. The initial focus is on dietetic and therapeutic foods, those compulsorily prescribed by a veterinarian when animals have health problems.
The proposal is not just a fiscal issue, but reflects a social change. With over 12 million dogs and cats in Italian families, pet food is now an essential consumer good for millions of people. Today, having a pet costs around 900 euros a year, according to data from recent Nomisma research. This figure includes essential care costs, which are basically food and medical care and with the latter accounting for approximately one third.
Savings of up to 600 euros per year
It’s not just a few pennies. According to estimates by the Italian Animal Rights Party, which already filed a similar proposal last summer, a reduction in VAT to 4% would lead to an average saving of 600 euros per year per family. A significant sum, which would lighten a domestic budget already under pressure and would also give relief to shelters and voluntary associations, often overwhelmed by expenses.
“Considering animal food as a basic necessity means promoting their well-being as a shared social value,” we read in the justification for the amendments. The initiative has a dual purpose: to support families, particularly the weakest ones, and to indirectly combat abandonment, often linked to excessive maintenance costs, especially for animals with special nutritional needs.
It is also requested to establish a fund to support low-income families for veterinary services regarding the pets that live with them. The request is for an initial allocation, for 2026, of 10 million euros.
The next steps and the roofing obstacle
The fate of the measure is now in the hands of politicians. In the next few days the ball will pass to the Budget Committee of the House and Senate, before arriving in the Chamber for the final vote.
The proposal enjoys broad consensus in principle, but it is not yet done. The issue to be resolved remains that of financial coverage: finding the resources to compensate for the lower VAT revenue is the obstacle that could slow down or even scuttle the amendment in the final phase of drafting the Budget.
If this obstacle is overcome, the approval of the measure would be an important signal for all those families who, every day, take care of an animal with particular health needs, finally recognizing their emotional and social role.
