The Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce (CCPR) and the Restaurant Association (ASORE) support a request by Gov. Jenniffer González to the Financial Oversight and Management Board for authorization to exempt prepared foods sold in restaurants from the sales and use tax (IVU) during November and December. The measure would aim to mitigate the impact of rising electricity rates.
CCPR president José Aparicio said the groups trust the proposal will bring relief to restaurants and their customers over the next two months, and that merchants need initiatives that recognize the daily reality they face and help keep the economy’s engine running. ASORE president Sonia Navarro said the association has demanded the IVU exemption on prepared foods since February, when problems with essential water and electricity services began to worsen, because consumers need concrete alternatives to ease pressure on household budgets.
She added that ASORE has maintained that prepared foods are an essential part of daily life and should not be subject to the IVU.