The chairwoman of the Health Committee in the Bundestag, Tanja Machalet (SPD), has joined the call for the introduction of a sugar tax. “I support that,” she told the Reditorial network Germany with a view to a corresponding one Advance by Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU). “If we want to make progress in prevention, then we need taxes on products that are proven to be harmful, such as alcohol, tobacco and sugar.”
The health policy spokesman for the Green parliamentary group, Janosch Dahmen, also spoke out in favor of a sugar tax. “A sugar tax is overdue in terms of health policy. We have known for years that excessive sugar consumption contributes significantly to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity – and thus costs billions in the health system,” said Dahmen. “Nevertheless, so far the insured parties have almost exclusively borne the consequences, while the manufacturers of high-sugar products keep their profits.”
As far as the revenue from a sugar tax is concerned, Machalet called for it to be ensured that it “does not seep into the general budget, but is actually used for prevention. We have to get ahead of the wave when it comes to prevention at some point.”
Wrong incentive structure encourages sugar consumption
Dahmen called for more focus on prevention. A sugar tax could help. “We finally need effective ratio prevention. A cleverly designed, staggered sugar tax – like in Great Britain – starts exactly there: It protects children and young people, reduces consumption, forces manufacturers to change recipes and relieves the burden on health insurance companies in the long term,” said the Green politician.
He also criticized the wrong incentive structure. “First, corporations make money by making children and adults sick with cheap sugar – and then the pharmaceutical industry makes billions by treating the consequences with expensive drugs and weight-loss injections. This is a system that rewards illness instead of protecting health.”
Günther had announced a Federal Council initiative for a sugar tax for the first quarter of next year. In mid-October, Schleswig-Holstein’s state parliament had already spoken out in favor of a manufacturer levy on soft and energy drinks that contain particularly sugar. Also Lower Saxony’s Minister of Health Andreas Philippi (SPD) called on the federal government to impose a sugar tax on soft drinks in November. Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer (CSU), however, rejects the proposal.
