(de-news.net) – Foodwatch, a consumer advocacy group, has reiterated its call for the introduction of a sugar tax ahead of the CDU’s federal party convention, emphasizing both broad public backing and the long-term costs to public health systems. The organization argued that sugar-sweetened soft drinks deliver large amounts of sugar within a very short period, a consumption pattern that significantly heightens the risk of preventable disease while also contributing to sustained financial pressures on health care systems. Survey findings commissioned by Foodwatch indicated that roughly 60 percent of respondents in Germany favor a graduated levy on sugary beverages, structured so that higher sugar content triggers higher tax rates. Support was particularly pronounced among women and among households with children, while respondents with lower incomes expressed somewhat greater reservations. Beyond taxation itself, a clear majority of those surveyed endorsed stronger political action to incentivize beverage manufacturers to reduce sugar levels in their products.
The issue has gained renewed momentum within segments of the CDU following an announcement before Christmas by Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister President Daniel Günther, who signaled his intention to advance a Bundesrat initiative for a nationwide sugar tax. Delegates to the party’s convention in Stuttgart were expected to deliberate on a related motion. Despite acknowledging the adverse health consequences and broader economic costs associated with excessive sugar consumption, the CDU’s federal applications committee subsequently rejected the proposal, reaffirming the party’s general opposition to tax increases. Other prominent CDU figures, including North Rhine-Westphalia’s health minister Karl-Josef Laumann, similarly characterized higher sugar and tobacco taxes as poorly timed and instead stressed the importance of expenditure restraint and fiscal discipline within the health care system.
Leopoldina and WHO back taxation amid high soft-drink consumption
At the same time, backing for fiscal measures has been reinforced by scientific and international institutions. Leopoldina, Germany’s National Academy of Sciences, has recommended taxing foods with high sugar or fat content, drawing on evidence from countries such as the United Kingdom where comparable policies have been associated with reduced consumption and measurable improvements in population health. In parallel, the World Health Organization has consistently advocated higher taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol, describing such levies as effective tools for preventing non-communicable diseases and alleviating financial strain on health systems. Globally, more than 100 countries have already adopted some form of taxation targeting sugary drinks.
Production and consumption statistics further underscore the scale of the challenge. In 2024, Germany produced more than 7.7 billion liters of sugar-sweetened soft drinks—equivalent to approximately 93 liters per capita—while output of low-calorie alternatives continued to rise. Average sugar intake in Germany remains well above levels recommended by the World Health Organization, a pattern that aligns with persistently elevated rates of overweight and obesity among both adults and children. Against this empirical backdrop, proponents maintain that a sugar tax would align Germany more closely with international practice and provide a comparatively cost-effective instrument for improving public health outcomes, even as resistance at the federal political level remains substantial.
