Food or food ingredients are exempt from sales tax. Food and
food ingredients do not include alcoholic beverages, candy, dietary
supplements, prepared food, soft drinks, or tobacco, which remain subject to
sales tax. For purposes of this section:
1. "Alcoholic beverage" for human consumption
means beverages containing one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by
volume.
2. "Candy" means a
preparation of sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in
combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts, or other ingredients or flavorings in
the form of bars, drops, or pieces. Candy does not include any preparation as
described herein, containing flour, or any item requiring
refrigeration.
3. "Dietary
supplement" means a product subject to tax if the product label contains a
"supplemental facts" box. If the product label contains a "nutrition facts"
box, the product is regarded as food, and is exempt from tax.
4. "Prepared food" is subject to sales tax
and includes food sold in a heated state or heated by the seller, or food that
is prepared by mixing or combining two or more food ingredients for sale as a
single item, or food sold with eating utensils, such as plates, knives, forks,
spoons, glasses, cups, napkins, or straws provided by the seller. Food sold in
an unheated state by weight or volume as a single item is taxable only if sold
with eating utensils. Food that ordinarily requires cooking, as opposed to just
reheating, by the consumer prior to consumption is not prepared food. Generally
businesses that sell prepared food include restaurants, convenience stores,
delicatessens, concession stands, coffee shops, and caterers.
5. "Soft drinks" subject to sales tax include
nonalcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners, and that
do not contain milk or milk products, soy, rice, or similar milk substitutes,
or that contain greater than fifty percent vegetable or fruit juice by volume.
Soft drinks generally include pop and fruit drinks or fruit punches that are
less than fifty percent juice by volume.
6. "Tobacco" means any cigarettes, cigars,
chewing or pipe tobacco, or any other items that contain tobacco.
The exemption for food and food products given, or to be
given, as samples to consumers for consumption on the premises of a food store
does not apply to food given away by restaurants or other businesses which
regularly and primarily sell prepared food and beverages.
