Spain has already removed the food VAT and Coop's CEO raised the proposal in the meeting with the finance minister. In Sweden, the Green Party has advocated a temporary reduction and is partly supported by the Left Party.

"We think it would be good to lower the food VAT now, if at the same time you can monitor so that the supermarkets really lower food prices just as much," says Ali Esbati, economic policy spokesman.

During the crisis of the 90s, VAT on food was reduced from 25 to 12 percent. The purpose was to support "families with children and low-income people". According to Statistics Sweden's statistics, low-income people spend a larger share of their income on food.

Most to rich

Investigations from both the Swedish National Audit Office and the Ministry of Finance have pointed out that it is an expensive way to benefit weak households with poor accuracy. The measure may benefit everyone, but high-income earners buy more expensive food and get greater tax breaks.

A kilo of potatoes would today be SEK 1.6 cheaper, the falu sausage SEK 6 and a kilo of beef tenderloin would fall by SEK 54.

For every billion reduced VAT that goes to low-income earners, two billion goes to high-income earners, FI's calculation shows.

"Scrapped food VAT is not a good way to help those who are poorest and not something we should prioritize now if we want to help vulnerable households," says Daniel Waldenström, professor and researcher in taxes and equality at the Institute for Business Research.

Majority against the proposal

The trade union think tank Katalys has also raised the demand for reduced food VAT. In the Riksdag, all right-wing parties, as well as the Center Party and the Social Democrats, give the thumbs down. In the MP's version, vat, as in Spain, would be temporarily abolished on basic foods such as milk, cheese, bread, fruit and vegetables.

Per Bolund (MP) agrees that high-income earners would receive a large part of the price reduction, but defends "broad solutions" as temporary measures.

"The important thing is to help families with children and others who are struggling and food is expenses that no one can escape.