Tax increases chastise commerce and the consumer
![](https://kauppa.fi/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-cropped-herokuva_yleis_tiedote_1920x765px_1-2.jpg)
The goal of the budget framework session to reduce indebtedness is understandable, but the government's decision to increase the general VAT rate by one and a half percentage points is a significant blow especially to the speciality and household goods trade operating in Finland. The necessary structural reforms also remained minor in the budget framework session.