Consumer rights organisation Foodwatch is calling on new Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) to swiftly introduce a sugar tax. "In the fight against obesity and diet-related diseases, we have no time to lose: Carsten Linnemann must design the sugar tax based on the British model and introduce it as quickly as possible," said Louise Molling of Foodwatch on Wednesday. The organisation presented a market comparison examining the effects of the sugar tax in the United Kingdom.
"The sugar tax doesn't necessarily lead to higher prices - but to healthier recipes," Molling said. Anyone treating themselves to a Fanta in England consumes barely half as much sugar as they would in Germany, she added.
According to Foodwatch, a Fanta Orange sold in the United Kingdom contains 4.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres, compared with 7.6 grams in Germany. For Sprite, the figures are 4.4 grams versus 7.9 grams. Sugary drinks from Schweppes, San Pellegrino, Capri Sun and the own-brand labels of Aldi and Lidl also contain significantly less sugar in the UK than in Germany, according to Foodwatch's market comparison.
Other manufacturers left their recipes unchanged and therefore pay the levy in the United Kingdom, Foodwatch further reported. Monster and Red Bull, for instance, contain eleven grams of sugar per 100 millilitres in both countries. Classic Coca-Cola contains 10.6 grams.
According to Foodwatch, there are also drinks in Germany that already fall below the British tax threshold with their current German recipes - among them Lipton Ice Tea Peach, with three grams, and classic Pepsi, with 4.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres.
A commission of experts appointed by the federal government had recommended a tiered sugar levy modelled on the UK system: drinks containing more than five grams of sugar per 100 millilitres would incur a charge of around 26 cents per litre. For drinks containing more than eight grams of sugar, manufacturers would have to pay 32 cents.
As part of negotiations over the savings package for statutory health insurance, the CDU/SPD coalition agreed on a sugar tax to take effect from 2027. The federal government expects this to generate revenue of around 650 million euros next year.
Outgoing Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) had recently announced that a sugar tax had been agreed rather than a levy. She assured that the additional revenue would benefit those with health insurance. The details were to be worked out together with the Finance Ministry.
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