Sugar tax: This calculator shows how much more expensive your favourite soda will become
Finance Minister Klingbeil has presented an initial draft law for the sugar tax. Use the Handelsblatt calculator to find out how expensive Cola, Fanta and Sprite are expected to become from 2027.
The German government has announced plans to introduce a tax on sugary drinks, according to Minister of Finance Lars Klingbeil. The proposed legislation, reported exclusively by the Handelsblatt, outlines the detailed plans that must still be approved by both the cabinet and the Bundestag. The tax will be implemented starting in 2027 and will apply to various beverages, including fruit and vegetable juices, non-alcoholic drinks such as sodas, flavored or sweetened waters, concentrates, and syrups.
However, drinks like Coke Zero or non-alcoholic beer will not be taxed. Products without added sugar or dietary supplements, as well as alcoholic beverages, are explicitly exempted. The tax rates are as follows: 0.26 Euro for beverages with 5-7 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters (like Sprite or Bionade), 0.32 Euro for those with 7-10 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters (such as Fanta or Mezzo Mix), and 0.38 Euro for drinks with 10 grams or more of sugar per 100 milliliters (like Coca-Cola or Red Bull).
These rates are then subjected to the usual 19 percent value-added tax. Therefore, a liter of cola would incur a 38 cent sugar tax on the sale price plus an additional seven cents in other taxes. The Handelsblatt's calculator on the sugar tax shows the price impact for over 150 popular products.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
