Take a Holiday From VAT

Project Screen by Prenetics was one of the leading providers of COVID tests for international travel, testing at all the major UK airports.

But the demand for tests led to some disreputable companies offering supposedly ‘low cost’ tests on the Government’s list of approved COVID tests for travel that were subsequently not available at that price.

The Government was also charging VAT at 20% on tests used for international travel even though NHS domestic tests were VAT exempt.

Avi developed the ‘Take a Holiday From VAT’ campaign aiming to cut VAT on the price of holiday COVID tests and highlight the cowboy testing operators ripping off consumers.

This involved engaging ministers, working with MPs and the travel sector to build support and an online petition that secured thousands of signatures.

Avi’s campaign secured coverage and support in the Times, Daily Mail, The Sun, The Telegraph, The Mirror, the Guardian. Sky, LBC, ITV, BBC TV, Radio 4’s Today Progamme and Radio 5 Live.

The campaign to highlight rogue test providers prompted an urgent investigation into the sector by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which led to briefings with the CMA and the Department for Health and Social Care and reforms to make pricing more transparent on the Government’s list of official COVID test suppliers.

This led to Avi helping to set up a new trade body to represent responsible COVID test providers - the Laboratory and Testing Industry Organisation (LTIO). The trade body is now the voice of the industry, requiring high standards from members and giving consumers confidence in pricing and service offers made by testing companies.