VAT receipts?

Last week I bought a service, and as it was not from the market, I asked for a receipt. And what I was given really shocked me. The receipt looked like something anyone could buy from a roadside stationery shop, with no stamp on it, and nothing to indicate that the service I had bought came from a particular company. I asked for a VAT receipt, and surprisingly got quite a confusing comment back about how much the receipt would be for, and how much service credit I would receive. I was torn, I admit it. Should I go for the cheap option, which obviously meant that my transaction did not go through that part of the accounting books that are seen by or submitted to the VAT service? No, I decided to stick it out, and after waiting for another 20 minutes got my VAT receipt.

But the experience did make me wonder, as it is not the first time that a similar type of incident has happened. How many times are people offered a choice: I can give you an ordinary receipt for x amount, or a VAT receipt, but you will have to pay an extra 15% or 3% (depending on what the rating is, or maybe which receipt book the company has)...

Yes I understand that the business environment isn't easy here, but nor is it for those of us who earn salaries and have taxes deducted at source...