Vendion
    Point of Sale

    VAT

    4 min read#34

    Vendion handles Swedish VAT automatically per the Mervärdesskattelagen rules. VAT is set per product in menu management, not per order – so mixed orders work correctly without staff having to think about it.

    Supported VAT rates

    RateTypeExamples
    12%Food (dine-in and takeaway) and non-alcoholic drinksDishes, snacks, pastries, soda, coffee, tea
    25%Alcoholic beverages and certain servicesBeer, wine, spirits, cocktails, nightclub entry
    6%Cultural events (rare in restaurants)Theater tickets if sold through the register
    0%Not typical in restaurantsN/A

    Since 2023, VAT is 12% for both dine-in and takeaway of food – earlier distinctions are gone.

    How VAT is calculated

    All prices in Vendion include VAT (gross). On the receipt the system calculates backwards to show the VAT amount separately.

    Example – 25% VAT, item price 100 SEK incl. VAT:

    Price incl. VAT  = 100.00 SEK
VAT (25%)         = 100 × 0.25 / 1.25 = 20.00 SEK
Net               = 100.00 − 20.00 = 80.00 SEK

    Example – 12% VAT, item price 100 SEK incl. VAT:

    Price incl. VAT  = 100.00 SEK
VAT (12%)         = 100 × 0.12 / 1.12 ≈ 10.71 SEK
Net               = 100.00 − 10.71 ≈ 89.29 SEK

    The calculation happens both in the POS and on the server – client and server always agree.

    Mixed orders (food + alcohol)

    For an order with both 12% and 25% items, VAT is shown split on the receipt:

    Example:  Lunch menu       180 SEK  (12%)
          Glass of wine    125 SEK  (25%)
          Total            305 SEK
          VAT 12%           19.29 SEK
          VAT 25%           25.00 SEK

    This is a legal requirement under SKVFS 2014:9 (Swedish cash register law) – the receipt must show VAT per rate.

    Dine-in vs takeaway

    • Dine-in: 12% food, 25% alcohol
    • Takeaway: 12% food, 25% alcohol
    • Delivery: Same as takeaway

    Alcohol is always 25% whether served or taken away. Food is always 12% whether dine-in or takeaway. This is simplified since 2023 and Vendion automatically flags the correct VAT based on the product's VAT rate.

    Where is VAT set?

    1. Admin → Menu → Products → choose product
    2. Field: VAT rate (12% / 25% / 6% / 0%)
    3. Save

    You can also set a default VAT per category (e.g. "Wine" = 25%) – new products in the category automatically get the right rate.

    Where does VAT appear in the system?

    • On the receipt: VAT summary per rate at the bottom, with net amount
    • In the Z report: Total per rate for the day, with line count
    • In the bookkeeping module: Automatic accounting lines on account 2620 (12%) and 2610 (25%) – see articles below
    • In SIE export: Separate #TRANS lines per VAT rate
    • In Analytics: VAT report per month/quarter/year for VAT declarations

    Deep dive – accounting and declaration

    VAT in the register is only step one. For full handling (BAS account mapping, VAT declaration to Skatteverket, SIE export) – see the articles in the Bookkeeping module:

    Tips

    • Double-check new products: It's easy to forget setting VAT on a new dish – Analytics "VAT per product" shows missing rates
    • Cocktail trick: A drink with alcohol = 25%, a mocktail = 12%. Two separate products.
    • Booking package with food and drink: Add them as two separate lines on the order instead of one line – that way VAT is booked correctly per rate
    • VAT declaration: Run a monthly SIE export from the Bookkeeping module and send to the accountant, or use Fortnox/Visma integration (coming ~May 2026)

    This feature is part of Vendion POS.

    Curious how it looks in practice? Read more about the product or book a short demo.

    Read about Vendion POSBook a demo

    Was this article helpful?