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Udeetta Sarma

September 29, 2024

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Basics of GST

‍Understanding Mixed Supply & Composite Supply under GST

To businesses and tax experts, the concepts of composite supply and mixed supply are important in India's Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework. They are used to find how supplies should be bundled for tax (and hence) tax liability. In this blog, we will explain the meaning of mixed and composite supply under GST, the distinction between the two, and tax liability and provide certain examples for a practical understanding.

What is Composite Supply in GST?

Composite supply is a principal supply of goods or services sold in combination with two or more related and promotional supplies of goods or services-one of them being a preferential type of these commodities. On composite supply, one is the principal or dominant and another is the ancillary or incidental supply.

Key Features of Composite Supply:

Natural Bundling:

Goods and services, which naturally accompany each other are provided together as a composite supply.

Principal Supply:

The primary supplier within the composite supply is the contributor offer or major component of provide which Masters the character of using provision.

Single Invoice:

It means in the bundle a single invoice will be issued and tax is levied on the principal supply.

GST Rate:

The combined applicable tax rate on the entire transaction is based on the nature of the tax applied to the principal supply.

Example of Composite Supply under GST:

An excellent example of composite supply is the sale of a mobile phone along with a warranty and insurance. The mobile phone is the principal supply, while the warranty and insurance are supplementary services. Since these elements are bundled naturally and cannot typically be purchased separately, the entire bundle is taxed based on the GST rate of the mobile phone.

What is Mixed Supply in GST?

In contrast, a mixed supply under GST means two or more individual supplies of goods or services made together, but these supplies are not naturally bundled. Optionally, vendors could sell them one by one, but when sold together, the total tax rate of all individual taxes is added together to get the highest applicable tax.

Key Features of Mixed Supply:

1. Unrelated Bundling:

In a composite supply, the goods or services are not naturally bundled and these are clubbed together in conjunction with each other for the sake of convenience.

2. Independent Goods/Services:

Every part of the mixed supply is distinguishable from others on the basis, that they can be supplied separately and may influence the functioning of other parts

3. Tax Rate:

The tax rate is the highest GST rate that applies to any one of the goods or services in the bundle, and it applies to the supply as a whole.

Example of Mixed Supply under GST:

A classic example of a mixed supply is a gift hamper that includes chocolates, dry fruits, and soft drinks. These items can be sold individually, but if they are sold together in a single package, the highest GST rate applicable to any of the items (in this case, say the soft drinks) is applied to the entire package.

Difference Between Composite Supply and Mixed Supply

Understanding the difference between composite; supply and mixed supply is crucial because it impacts how GST is applied. Let’s break down the differences:

Aspect	Composite Supply	Mixed Supply
Nature of Supply	Naturally bundled, provided together in the ordinary course of business	Unrelated or independent supplies, clubbed for convenience
Principal/Independent Supply	Has a principal supply (the main component)	No principal supply; each item is independent and unrelated
Tax Rate	Taxed at the rate applicable to the principal supply	Taxed at the highest rate applicable to any of the items in the bundle
Tax Applicability	Based on the principal supply; additional items follow the same rate as the principal supply	Each item can be taxed separately, but the highest tax rate applies to the entire bundle
Invoicing	A single invoice is issued for all items, mentioning the rate of the principal supply	One invoice is issued for the bundle, with the highest tax rate applicable to all items
Relevance of Supply Order	The items must be provided together as they are dependent on each other	The items may be provided together, but they can exist independently
Liability for Incorrect Classification	Incorrectly classifying a composite supply as mixed or vice versa can lead to penalties or additional tax liabilities	Same as composite supply—misclassification can result in penalties or extra taxes
Input Tax Credit (ITC)	ITC can be claimed on the entire supply (subject to normal restrictions)	ITC is applicable but based on the highest rate charged for the entire supply
Service or Goods	Can be either goods or services, as long as they are naturally bundled	Can involve unrelated goods or services, packaged together
Example	Mobile phone sold with charger and warranty, hotel accommodation with breakfast	A gift hamper with chocolates, cookies, and a bottle of wine

‍Tax Liability on Composite and Mixed Supplies

The tax liability on composite and mixed supplies under GST depends on the nature of the supply:

1. Composite Supply:

The GST rate of the principal supply would be assumed for all other products that are part of the entire supply. The principal supply is the predominant item of value in a transaction and influences whether a product or service will be taxed at that rate. For instance, if you are selling a flight ticket with a meal included, the whole supply would be taxed at whatever GST rate applies to the flight ticket.

2. Mixed Supply:

Mixed supplies attract the highest GST rate which applies to any one supply in the bundle. E.g. consideration for a mixed supply must be taxed at the highest rate of tax applicable to such a mix. But if there is an 18% GST product, and another at 28% GST in the mix–the whole mix will attract a 28% GST.

How to Identify the Type of Supply?

It does its responsibility to decide whether the transaction forms a composite supply or mixed supply, which ultimately determines the tax calculation. Here’s how you can identify:

Composite Supply:

Find out if the supplies are naturally bundled and if one supply is overtaking the transaction (principal supply). If yes, then it is a composite supply.

Mixed Supply:

Unbundle the matter, If goods are unrelated and they could be sold separately without one thought of their saleable value, It's a mixed supply.

Composite Supply and Mixed Supply: Practical Examples

To clarify these concepts further, here are a few more examples:

Composite Supply Example:

1. Hotel Accommodation with Breakfast:

When you book a hotel room along with the breakfast, it means that the stay is the principal supply and the meal is an ancillary supply; They are going to tax the entire package with whatever the room is taxed at.

2. Printer and Ink Cartridge Sold Together:

The printer is the principal and the ink cartridge supplies email and will be read by a screen reader. The tax rate of the printer is applied to all taxes of a bundle.

Mixed Supply Example:

1. Pack of Various Festive Items:

A pack of various festive items such as sweets, beverages and stationery items (Diwali gift packs) is a mixed supply. As these items are not bundled in nature, they attract the highest GST rate say on beverages for the entire pack.

2. Combo of Electronics and Accessories:

A retail store offering a combo package (laptop, headphones, pen drive) on a promotional basis would be deemed to be a mixed supply. This way, each of these items can be sold individually and hence the highest GST rate that applies to one of the items (for example laptop) would apply to the entire combo.

Impact of Incorrect Classification

What are the penalties for non-compliance of supply misclassification? When a taxpayer considers a mixed supply as a composite supply, there are chances that they may not pay the taxes correctly, and hence they could be penalized by being imposed interest and penalties by the tax authorities.

So it is incumbent on businesses to understand what is composite and mixed supply and then apply the correct GST rates, or they could end up facing hassles at the time of audits or assessments.

Conclusion

For businesses to adhere to the GST laws and also calculate their taxes properly, they must know the concepts of composite supply and mixed supply under GST. The three parts are processed individually for their tax treatment based on the source of the primary supply (composite supplies) or taxed at the highest applicable rate (mixed supplies).

Businesses should be cautious when classifying their transactions as misclassification can result in tax mistakes and penalties, businesses need to work out if their transactions are composite or mixed supplies. Right classification will ensure compliance, ease of accounting and avoiding any legal hazards under the GST.

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FAQs

1. What is the meaning of mixed supply under GST?

A combination of unrelated goods/services sold together, taxed at the highest rate applicable.

2. What is a composite supply under GST?

A supply of goods/services is naturally bundled and taxed at the rate of the principal supply.

3. How is tax determined for mixed supply?

The highest GST rate of any item in the bundle applies to the entire supply.

4. Can you give an example of composite supply?

Sale of a printer with an ink cartridge—printer is the principal supply.

5. What is the key difference between composite and mixed supply?

Composite supply is naturally bundled with a dominant item, while mixed supply is a collection of unrelated items.

6. What happens if you incorrectly classify a supply as composite or mixed?

Incorrect classification can lead to penalties and additional taxes. For instance, if a mixed supply is wrongly classified as a composite supply, the GST might be underpaid since mixed supplies are taxed at the highest rate applicable to any item in the bundle.

7. How does input tax credit (ITC) apply to composite and mixed supplies?

In the case of composite supplies, input tax credit (ITC) can be claimed based on the GST rate of the principal supply. For mixed supplies, ITC applies to the highest tax rate charged for the entire supply.

8. Can services be part of a composite supply?

Yes, services can be part of a composite supply. For example, hotel accommodation bundled with breakfast is considered a composite supply where the accommodation service is the principal supply, and the entire bundle is taxed at that rate.

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