The April 1 VAT changes
are coming. Are you ready?
VATReady auto-classifies your products, processes invoices, and generates compliant VAT returns. Stop the nightmare.
Every business that sells uncooked food is affected
Effective April 1, 2026, uncooked foods become VAT exempt (not zero-rated). This creates a 4-tier classification nightmare for every food business in The Bahamas.
per month in unrecoverable VAT for a single supermarket chain
Up to $4.8M per year lost to the exempt reclassification
Classify every single product
A typical supermarket carries 5,000–30,000 SKUs. Each one must be mapped to one of the 4 VAT categories before April 1.
Split every supplier invoice
Each invoice must be broken down by VAT category - line by line. Miss one and your return is wrong.
Calculate input VAT apportionment
Exempt sales kill your input VAT recovery. Your actual taxable-vs-exempt sales mix changes every period.
The 4 VAT categories you need to know
Every product must be classified into one of these categories. Getting it wrong costs you money.
VAT Exempt
0%
No input tax recovery
Uncooked/raw foods. Your business CANNOT recover VAT paid on inputs related to these sales.
- Raw chicken, beef, pork
- Fresh fruits & vegetables
- Raw fish & seafood
- Eggs, raw grains, rice
- Frozen raw meats
Zero-Rated
0%
WITH input tax recovery
Official "breadbasket" items. Your business CAN still recover VAT paid on inputs.
- Bread, flour, sugar
- Rice, grits, cooking oil
- Butter, margarine, milk
- Baby formula
- Canned tuna, sardines
5% VAT
5%
Prepared/processed foods
Prepared, processed, or packaged food items. Charged on sale and recoverable on inputs.
- Canned goods (non-breadbasket)
- Chips, snacks, crackers
- Soft drinks, juice
- Deli meats, prepared meals
- Seasoned/marinated meats
10% VAT
10%
Standard rate
All non-food items. Standard VAT rate for household goods, personal care, and more.
- Cleaning supplies
- Paper goods, toiletries
- Household hardware
- Alcohol & tobacco
- Electronics, clothing
VAT compliance in minutes, not days
Four steps to complete, accurate VAT returns - no accounting degree required.
Upload Your Products
Import your product catalog via CSV, Excel, or enter manually. Works with any POS system export.
AI Classifies Everything
Our AI engine classifies every SKU into the correct VAT category - exempt, zero-rated, 5%, or 10%.
Process Invoices
Upload supplier invoices (PDF, photo, or CSV). We split each invoice by VAT category automatically.
Generate VAT Returns
Get DIR-compliant VAT returns with correct apportionment calculations, ready to file.
Built for every food business in The Bahamas
Whether you run a single corner store or a 13-location supermarket chain, VATReady handles your specific needs.
Supermarkets
5,000-30,000 SKUs to classify. Complex exempt/zero-rated mix across departments.
Pharmacies
Mix of exempt drugs, food items, and taxable health products under one roof.
Gas Stations
Fuel tax, convenience store food, and standard goods - three categories in one receipt.
Corner Stores
No accountant on staff. Need the simplest possible path to compliance.
Restaurants
Buy raw ingredients (exempt) but sell prepared meals (taxable). Unique apportionment.
Hotels & Resorts
Multi-department operations with food service as one slice of a complex pie.
Don't wait until April 1
Your business could be losing hundreds of thousands per month in unrecoverable VAT. The right classification pays for itself on day one.
Professional
For pharmacies, gas stations, and mid-size grocers
- ✓Up to 5,000 SKUs
- ✓1 location
- ✓AI product classification
- ✓Invoice processing
- ✓VAT return generation
Business
For supermarket chains and multi-location retailers
- ✓Up to 30,000 SKUs
- ✓Up to 5 locations
- ✓Everything in Professional
- ✓Priority support
- ✓Dedicated onboarding
Enterprise
For the largest chains and hotel groups
- ✓Unlimited SKUs and locations
- ✓API access
- ✓Custom integrations
- ✓SLA guarantee
- ✓Dedicated account manager
Free during beta. All plans include a full audit trail.