The council also expanded the ambit of the 5% GST on branded packaged food items to include those products which were earlier sold under a brand name but the producers chose to abandon their trade marks to escape the tax. As per Saturday’s decision, the 5% tax is applicable on food items sold in packages if they had a brand name as on 15 May or have a mark or name on which the producer is entitled to make an actionable claim, explained the minister.