Steuern: Klingbeil: Keine Zuckersteuer auf Zero-Getränke

Berlin - Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has ruled out imposing an additional tax on sugar-free beverages. "I'm not doing that," he declared on Instagram. "It won't happen." Klingbeil argued that a tax on sugar-free drinks would make no sense. The proposal, published by his ministry on Tuesday, suggested subjecting zero and light drinks, beer mix drinks, malted beverages, and instant coffee to the sugar tax.

This would apply to beverages containing sugar and/or artificial sweeteners as well as granulated products with sugar or sweeteners. Exempted from this would be 100% fruit juices and pure milk. Klingbeil said that experts from the relevant ministries were having contentious debates about various ideas. "Now such a working paper has appeared in the media.

It is neither politically united nor decided in the coalition," he said. His staff would have to discuss and propose ideas internally, even if they were not implemented. "If every internal consideration is treated as a political decision, this openness becomes difficult and politics is not better in the end," Klingbeil emphasized.