[accountoftheday]

In that sense VAT is also a voluntary charge. You can avoid it by eating nothing.

[DanBC]

Lots of food is VAT free or zero rated.

The real difference between VAT and the TV licence is that VAT goes to the government via the Inland Revenue (?), while the TV licence goes to the BBC via Capita. Because it doesn't go to the government it's not a tax. I've already said it's tax-like.