Politics · Germany · 7 hrs ago
Nine Union state ministers oppose Germany’s planned sugar tax
Nine agriculture and consumer-protection ministers from Germany’s Union-led states have written to Chancellor Friedrich Merz opposing a planned tax on sugary products.
They say nutrition education, information and personal responsibility are better ways to encourage people to consume less sugar.
The ministers argue that the tax would raise the cost of some foods and could reduce income for farmers already facing higher costs for fuel and fertilizer.
The proposal is part of a disagreement within Germany’s governing coalition of the CDU/CSU and Social Democrats.
Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil supports a tax on sugary drinks, but the chancellery paused his initial proposal earlier in October, saying it was not acceptable in its current form.
His draft would apply from July 2027 to drinks with at least five grams of sugar per 100 milliliters.
The coalition has not settled where negotiations on the tax stand.
Nine Union state ministers have opposed Germany’s planned tax on sugary products in a letter to Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other senior officials.
They argue that nutrition education, personal responsibility, information and innovation are better ways to reduce sugar consumption.
The ministers say a tax would burden purchases, could reduce revenues for agricultural businesses and would not fit the coalition agreement’s emphasis on voluntary measures.
The tax remains under discussion in the governing coalition, and its status in negotiations is unclear.
A draft described by Handelsblatt would apply from July 2027 to drinks containing at least five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres.
- Who
- Nine Union state agriculture and consumer-protection ministers wrote the letter. It was addressed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Nina Warken and Thorsten Frei.
- What
- They opposed a planned tax on sugary products, including drinks, and called for other approaches to reducing sugar consumption.
- When
- The letter is dated 11 October 2026.
- Where
- The ministers are from German states. The tax is a federal government proposal.
- Why
- They say a tax would rely on state intervention, burden consumers and agricultural businesses, and conflict with the coalition’s emphasis on voluntary measures and personal responsibility.
Union state ministers
Lars Klingbeil and supporters of the planned sugar tax
Policy approach
Union state ministers
The ministers oppose a tax and favour nutrition education, personal responsibility, information and innovation.
Lars Klingbeil and supporters of the planned sugar tax
Klingbeil supports introducing a sugar tax, which he says would raise revenue and encourage drinks makers to reduce sugar.
Expected effects
Union state ministers
The ministers say the tax would burden purchases and could reduce agricultural businesses’ revenues; they say its effects on obesity are not clearly established.
Lars Klingbeil and supporters of the planned sugar tax
Klingbeil says the tax would give manufacturers an incentive to lower sugar content and make products healthier.
The goal remains clear. We agreed to introduce a sugar tax.
Nutrition education is important to me, but not through regulatory policy.
An additional tax on sugar or soft drinks is not the right way.
The coalition agreement focuses above all on voluntary measures, incentives and personal responsibility.
The CDU opposed a sugar tax at its national party conference in Stuttgart.
The Chancellery temporarily stopped Lars Klingbeil’s plans for a tax on sugary drinks.
Klingbeil said the goal of introducing a sugar tax remained clear.
Nine Union state ministers dated their letter opposing the planned tax.
- Signatories
- Nine Union state ministers
- Letter date
- 11 October 2026
- Recipients
- Friedrich Merz, Nina Warken and Thorsten Frei
- Proposed start
- July 2027
- Draft threshold
- At least 5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres of drink
Sources
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