The Tax Foundation is often asked which states exempt certain items from their general sales taxes, especially as they relate to food. The following is a list of the states that do tax groceries, and if applicable, which ones apply a special rate on grocery items. All other states do not tax groceries. States that tax groceries (rate if not fully taxed): Alabama, Arkansas (3%), Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois (1%), Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri (1.225%), Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee (5.5%), Utah (1.75%), Virginia (1.5% + 1% local option tax), and West Virginia (5%). Notes: Idaho’s income tax provides a $20 credit per person that is designed to partially offset the impact of taxing groceries. Also, our source for this data, CCH, cites a Kansas law that allows for a “limited tax refund available to disabled, elderly, and low-income households.”
