The WHO recommends it, Great Britain has it, and Food Minister Özdemir wants it: a tax on soft drinks. So far, the plan has failed because of the FDP. But now there is support from nine federal states.
Several federal states want a tax on soft drinks. As can be seen from a note from the Conference of Consumer Protection Ministers, they are calling on the federal government to consider a tax on drinks that contain a lot of sugar.
Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Thuringia and Saarland are committed to ensuring that manufacturers pay a corresponding levy. “Despite voluntary commitments and promises by the industry in Germany, the average sugar content of soft drinks, for example, has not fallen in recent years to the extent that would be necessary for a healthy diet,” the minutes state.
Özdemir has been demanding tax for some time
This will give support to Federal Food Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens). He has been in favour of a sugar tax for some time. However, his plan has so far been rejected by his coalition partner, the FDP. Party Vice-President Wolfgang Kubicki, for example, has described a sugar tax on soft drinks as “political activism”.
According to a study by the Technical University of Munich, a special tax on sugary drinks is an effective measure, also financially. The study concludes that Germany could save up to 16 billion euros over the next 20 years through such a tax – among other things because obesity and related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases could be prevented and the burden on the health system would be reduced.
The World Health Organization also recommends a special tax on sugary drinks. It suggests a levy of at least 20 percent. Many countries, including Great Britain, already have a sugar tax.