Daniel Günther, the Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein, welcomed the federal government’s plans to introduce a sugar tax on sweet drinks as part of the German healthcare reform. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, Günther stated that he “expressly welcomes” the attention given to the sugar tax issue by the federal government, but cautioned that the true outcome depends on what the Black-Red coalition ultimately presents.
Furthermore, Günther expressed agreement with Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, asserting that such a tax must benefit the health of children and young people and cannot simply be used to fill budget deficits.
These concerns were echoed by the food industry, which strongly criticized the measure. Christoph Minhoff, the General Managing Director of the Federal Association of German Food Industries and the German Food Association, told the “Rheinische Post” that the tax is “solely designed to fill budget gaps”. Minhoff added that the industry would demonstrate in the coming parliamentary proceedings that the narrative suggesting the sugar tax is aimed at child health is incorrect.
According to the draft law for the reform of statutory health insurance (GKV), the introduction of a levy on sugar-sweetened drinks is currently planned starting in 2028.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) reviewed the effectiveness of special taxes on sugary drinks in 2025. The WHO concluded that implementing consumption taxes is an effective measure to reduce the affordability and subsequent consumption of such beverages, thereby helping to combat diseases linked to high sugar intake. As part of its “3 by 35” initiative, the WHO aims to ensure that the real prices of three harmful products-tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks-increase by at least 50 percent through tax hikes by 2035, while still accounting for the unique circumstances of each nation.
