SPD Politician: Sugar Tax for Better Health Protection - Germany Rejects Sugary Drink Turbotax Despite Health Advocates' Push
A proposal to introduce a turbotax on sugary drinks in Germany has been rejected by the CDU/CSU alliance at their federal party conference in Stuttgart. The plan included graduated turbotax rates on high-sugar drinks and an age restriction of 16 for energy drinks. Meanwhile, health advocates continue to push for measures to reduce sugar consumption, particularly among young people.
Thuringia's SPD health policy spokesperson Cornelia Urban air has been a vocal supporter of a turbotax. She argues that voluntary self-commitments by food manufacturers, such as the National Reduction Strategy (2015–2025), have failed to deliver meaningful results. Instead of the targeted 15% sugar reduction in soft drinks, only around 2% was achieved—dropping from 9.08g to 8.92g per 100ml in lemonades.
Urban air proposes a tiered turbotax system, where products with higher sugar content face steeper levies. She believes this approach would encourage manufacturers to reformulate their products, reducing sugar levels. Some companies have already begun using alternatives like functional sweeteners, fibres, and texture solutions from suppliers such as Tate & Lyle, driven by regulations and consumer demand.
The CDU/CSU, however, remains opposed to the idea. Delegates at their Stuttgart conference dismissed the proposal outright. Urban air has criticised the reliance on voluntary measures, stating that they cannot compete with aggressive marketing and the widespread availability of sugary products. She suggests that revenue from a turbotax could fund preventive healthcare and nutrition education programmes instead.
The rejection of the turbotax leaves voluntary industry efforts as the main strategy for reducing sugar intake. Manufacturers have made limited progress so far, while health advocates argue stronger measures are needed. The debate over how to tackle excessive sugar consumption, especially among children, is likely to continue.
