Kosher tax

The "Kosher tax" (or "Jewish tax") is an Antisemitic canard about the kosher certification process certifies that food products are fit for consumption in accordance with Jewish law (Halakha). It is claimed that food producers must pay an exorbitant amount to obtain the right to display a symbol on their products (often a K or U in a circle) that indicates it is kosher or pareve. This expense (in fact, quite small, see below) passed on to consumers is dubbed “kosher tax”.

The "Kosher tax" is commonly regarded as an anti-Semitic urban legend spread that by anti-Semitic and white supremacist and other extremist organizations such as the National Alliance and Ku Klux Klan.

Background
Additional claims are made that this “tax” is “extorted” from food companies wishing to avoid a boycott, and used to support Zionist causes or the state of Israel. Racist groups encourage consumers to avoid this “Jewish tax” by boycotting kosher products, or by requesting a refund from the government on their income taxes.

The actual cost to the consumer is generally minuscule; in 1975 the cost per item for obtaining kosher certification was estimated by The New York Times as being 6.5 millionths (0.0000065) of a cent per item for a typical product. This is more than offset by the advantages of being certified. Certification leads to increased revenues of sales by opening up the additional markets such as Jews who keep kosher; Muslims who keep halal; and vegans, Seventh-day Adventists, and the lactose intolerant who wish to avoid dairy products (products that are certified as pareve may meet this criterion). According to Berel Wein, “The cost of kashrut certification is always viewed as an advertising expense and not as a manufacturing expense.” Dispellers of the “kosher tax” legend argue that if it were not profitable to obtain such certification, then food producers would not engage in the certification process, and that the increased sales resulting from kosher certification actually lower the overall cost per item.

Obtaining certification that an item is kosher is a voluntary business decision made by companies desiring additional sales from consumers (Jews, as well as non-Jews with special dietary needs) who look for kosher certification when shopping, and is actually specifically sought by marketing organizations within food production companies. The fees charged for kosher certification are used to support the operation of the certifying bodies themselves, and not Zionist causes or Israel.