GST rates on popcorn pop the internet’s humour kernel

The GST Council’s recent clarification on popcorn taxation has turned into a hot topic online, with meme creators seizing the opportunity to feast on the announcement.

On Saturday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained that caramelized popcorn, being a sugar confectionery, attracts an 18% GST, while salted and plain popcorn—if pre-packaged and labelled—are taxed at 12%. This announcement et the internet ablaze with memes sharper than a kernel’s crunch.

While one user questioned the GST rates for different flavours of popcorn, another humourously replied. "It depends on the Molecular structure of Salt and Caramel. Once we know the Molar Mass % in the mixture, we can calculate the weighted average GST rate."

Another user playfully teased, “Kya aapke popcorn mai caramel hai?” alongside a picture of Sitharaman.

Referencing the iconic 3 Idiots dialogue, one user wrote, “Caramel Popcorn to beta itni itni thailiyon me sunar ke dukaan pe milege.

With popcorn flavours now classified by their sugar and salt content, netizens have served their verdict with brutal humor.