Germany plans to introduce a sugar tax on sugary drinks
The German government expects that the introduction of a new “sugar tax” on sweetened beverages will generate approximately 650 million euros for health insurance funds. The new tax could be introduced as early as next year.
The introduction of the tax is one of 66 measures proposed by an expert commission to stabilize the financial situation of health insurance funds.
The commission recommended setting a proportional tax based on the sugar content of the beverages. Specifically, for beverages containing more than 5 grams of sugar per 100 ml, a rate of 26 euro cents per liter is proposed, and for beverages containing more than 8 grams of sugar, 32 euro cents per liter.
The new tax is expected not only to generate additional revenue for the healthcare system but also to encourage manufacturers and consumers to reduce their consumption of sugary beverages, which should help lower the risk of developing a number of diseases.
The idea of introducing a “sugar tax” has been under discussion in Germany for several years, but it has not yet been implemented.
This was reported by Tagesschau.
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