On 1 March 2026, VAT rates for the Belgian hospitality industry will change. That doesn't mean you have to complicate everything, but it does mean that you should check that your VAT settings are correct in all your sales channels. This will help you avoid confusion at the counter, errors in your cash register system and hassle with online orders or your accounting.
The goal is simple: ensure that your VAT logic is consistent across all platforms (cash register, webshop, kiosk, digital price list). With the checklist below, you'll be done in no time.
These are the steps we recommend for every hospitality business:
1) Make your sales moments clear
On site
Takeaway
Delivery (if applicable)
Why this is important: the same products may be processed differently depending on the time of sale. Ensure that your systems correctly follow this distinction.
2) Put your products in the right groups
Make at least the following distinctions:
Food
Non-alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages
Tip: pay extra attention to menus with drinks, variations and extras. That's where things often go wrong.
3) Check all your sales channels
This is where things often go wrong, because everything is not always automatically synchronised. Therefore, always check:
Cash register system
Webshop and online orders
Kiosk
Digital price list
Consider printed materials: counter displays and flyers
Do you have any other channels (e.g. an external partner, a collection platform or your own delivery flow)? Don't forget to check there too to see if your VAT settings and customer information match.
Unipage tip: when you work with Unipage, you manage everything from a single system. This makes it much easier to keep your settings consistent across your sales channels. It also means you don't have to log in separately on different devices and platforms to check or adjust settings for each individual product.
4) Test 2 to 3 realistic orders
Test orders that your customers actually place:
Takeaway meal with non-alcoholic beverage
Meal on site with alcoholic beverage
Menu with a number of extras
This allows you to immediately see whether your settings are correct everywhere.
5) Consult your accountant if in doubt
Some situations may vary from case to case.
A quick check with your accountant will prevent misunderstandings later on.
We often see this happening:
You only adjust your cash register system, but forget your webshop or kiosk
Tip: always check every channel where you sell, especially during busy periods.
Drinks and food are in the same group, which means that the VAT is set incorrectly
You only test on 1 March, at a busy time, and you haven't had time to look at this properly yet
Do I have to adjust each product individually?
That is exactly what you want to avoid. With clear product groups and consistent settings, you can save a lot of time. If you work with Unipage, you can manage your settings from a single system, without having to log in to different systems or devices separately.
What if I have an exceptional situation?
If in doubt, we recommend checking with your accountant.
Our support team will then be happy to help you with the correct setup.
What exactly is changing in the Hospitalty sector: Read more on our blog
What Unipage does for their customers: Read more on our blog
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