Protestschreiben: Brief an Kanzleramt: Wirtschaft will Plastiksteuer stoppen

Over 40 German business associations have penned a protest letter to Chancellor's office head Nina Warken (CDU), urging her to halt plans for a plastic tax. The letter, dated October 29th and obtained by the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, warns that the tax would increase bureaucratic burdens for companies, create competitive disadvantages, and raise costs for everyday products.

Furthermore, they argue that a plastic tax would generate additional expenses for public administration without incentivizing investments in sustainable packaging or additional recycling capacities. The associations, including the BDI, Germany Trade & Invest, the DIHK, VCI, VDMA, ZVEI, and the Federal Association of the German Sweet Confectionery Industry, contend that a plastic packaging tax is "neither financially, economically, nor environmentally viable."

Environment Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) is pushing for the tax, which he predicts would generate €805 million in revenue for 2027 and nearly €1.5 billion annually from 2028. This revenue would supposedly reduce plastic waste. However, the business groups fear a rushed decision-making process and stress that the issue should be addressed through a proper legislative procedure with participation from various ministries and adequate parliamentary scrutiny.

The 42 associations warn that the tax could lead to annual bureaucratic costs for businesses in the mid-double-digit millions and likely pass on costs to consumers. Instead, they propose targeted financial incentives for sustainable packaging solutions to address the plastic waste crisis.