But still OP's point stands. If the VAT was more visible, people might be less accepting of it, like with credit card fees.

I'm in Norway. There is no real way to avoid knowing what the VAT on things are.

I have to pay it if I order from Amazon or Etsy, for example. If I order from the US, I pay later.

Every sales receipt has the VAT right on the receipt. I can see it every single time. If I order from inside the country, I can see it before I pay.

It isn't hidden. It isn't secret.

It wasn't even secret to an immigrant that didn't yet understand enough Norwegian to know.

What I do get is to be reasonably certain what I'm going to pay when I get to the cash register. I don't have to do mental gymnastics with a total if I'm tight on money - like I have many times in the US. It won't change if I'm in a different part of Norway. There simply aren't as many price surprises like that.

I think this comes down to you being Norwegian (ie getting good quality govt services in exchange for your taxes). Now imagine being Greek. If folks realised they're paying 22.5% to the govt on top of everything they purchase... they wouldn't be very happy.

Oh, I'm not Norwegian. I'm American, I just moved here some years ago. Considering everything, I'm probably paying fewer total taxes than I did in the US - if anything, because I'm getting stuff like healthcare for my tax money now.

Greece is in the EU, which means they are paying at least 15% VAT on most stuff, assuming everyone is paying their taxes (which might or might not be). Trust me, even being built into the cost, everyone knows how much they are paying in taxes on goods. Greek folks aren't unintelligent. This sort of tax isn't a secret any more than sales tax was in the US.