Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) ice cream served from an ice cream van and (b) other takeaway cold foods are eligible for the reduced rate of VAT for the hospitality industry.

This question was answered on 7th September 2020
Cold takeaway food, for example sandwiches, is zero-rated, provided it is not of a type that is always standard rated such as ice cream, potato crisps, sweets, some beverages and bottled water.

The temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced to support the tourism and hospitality sectors and will help over 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs. Ice cream served for consumption on the premises in ice cream parlours or other food establishments will benefit from the reduced rate.