Yes, VAT is payed &#x27;by the consumer&#x27;, and if people weren&#x27;t buying Apple phones they would be buying something else, fair enough.<p>I just find it funny how the solution to lack of money is always wanting to squeeze more taxes from the companies <i>and people</i> instead of optimizing goverment spending (optimizing, not cutting)<p>Ah of course, living withing your means is now called &#x27;austerity&#x27; and it&#x27;s bad because?