Some Kansas shoppers taxed twice on groceries as new state food tax rate starts

FOOD Amine 03 Jan , 2023 0

WICHITA, Kansas (KWCH) – 12News has heard from multiple viewers since Sunday that they noticed something was wrong with their grocery receipts.

Some shoppers in Kansas have experienced being taxed twice on the entire subtotal of their purchases.

This was done as the first reduction in the state’s food sales tax rate to take effect on Sunday.

Sean Lawrence said, “Instead of paying 5%, I literally paid 12.5% tax on my grocery bill.”

On Sunday, Lawrence went to the local Walmart to stock up on the pantry and do most of his grocery shopping.

“I didn’t realize the mistake until I got home. My son-in-law said the tax rate had changed, so we looked at it and then started looking a little more closely,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence began to do the math, but then he realized something didn’t add up. He was taxed twice on the subtotal of all items purchased.

After saying that, he returned to the store.

“she [store employ] Well, there’s a problem and we’re being overcharged in taxes, so I thought we needed to let people know that it was happening,” he said.

After first hearing employees say it was the government’s fault, Lawrence said he spoke with managers and there was a demand to fix the internal system that governs the taxes people are taxed.

Kansas’ new food sales tax rate places a 4% plus local sales tax on most food items. 1% in Sedgwick County. There is an exemption for items taxed at the old 6.5% rate plus local taxes.

Lawrence was not alone. Another Wichita shopper shared a Walmart receipt that contained only five groceries, which should be taxed at the new reduced rate. Instead, she was taxed twice for her subtotal. Once with the reduced tax rate and once with the existing tax rate.

Lawrence said, “Most people won’t notice it. The amount on each ticket is so small that most people won’t notice it.”

Lawrence said it wasn’t the extra money he paid that got him frustrated, but that the store didn’t let other customers know. People shared similar experiences at other Kansas he Walmarts and other grocery stores.

“[Manager] We kind of could handle this with you and give you a gift card, but I did.

12News has reached out to the Kansas Department of Revenue and Walmart regarding this issue and is awaiting a response.