Aldi Süd speaks out in favor of sugar tax on soft drinks

The company proposes that the levy be collected directly from manufacturers in order to create an incentive to reduce sugar in branded products and private labels. Fruit juices, milk drinks and plant-based milk alternatives are to be exempted. According to Aldi Süd, the revenue from the tax should otherwise benefit prevention programs such as sports and nutrition education.

Federal government plans

Aldi Süd is also calling for an 18-month transition period so that recipe changes can be implemented for as many products as possible. In doing so, the discounter is responding to plans by the federal government, which intends to introduce a tax on sugared beverages as part of an austerity package to stabilize health insurance contributions. The Federal Ministry of Finance is, according to its own statements, preparing a corresponding draft law.

Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) had said when presenting the 2027 budget draft that this also served health protection: "Was krank macht, wird also teurer." He did not initially provide details on the concrete design and the start date.

Rejection from the food industry

While Aldi Süd fundamentally supports the tax, large parts of the food industry reject it. Edeka boss Markus Mosa had declared in April: "Unsere Kundinnen und Kunden sollen selbst entscheiden, was sie kaufen und essen." Edeka also pointed to a broad range, transparent labeling and an already ongoing reduction of sugar and salt in private labels.

The food industry again took a fundamental stance against the introduction of a sugar tax at the beginning of July and warned against a launch as early as 2027. "Zusätzliche Abgaben würden das ohnehin angespannte Konsumklima weiter verschlechtern", the company said. The Federation of the German Food Industry and the German Food Association also consider the evidence for the health effectiveness of a sugar tax to be disputed and warn of additional burdens for consumers and companies.

The sugar industry, the beverage wholesale trade and the beverage industry associations also reject a sugar tax vehemently. They point to high competitive distortions in the European market and the risk that consumers could switch to cheaper, but not sugar-reduced alternatives.

Reactions from Rewe and Aldi Nord

Rewe said on request that the suitability of a sugar tax depends on its concrete design, the health policy goals and the economic effects. A final assessment is not yet possible. At the same time, the company stressed that it supports measures that demonstrably improve nutrition, and called for planning security, practical solutions and sufficient transition periods. Aldi Nord did not comment on the issue when asked.

With this positioning, Aldi Süd distinguishes itself from competitors. While Aldi Nord did not issue a statement, Edeka and Rewe are positioning themselves rather skeptically. The coming weeks will show whether other retailers will follow or whether political pressure from industry associations will delay its introduction.

European comparison

The federal government is planning the tax as part of an austerity package to stabilize health insurance contributions. Should the Ministry of Finance submit the draft law as announced, Germany would become another European country with a sugar or soft drink tax after the United Kingdom, France and Ireland.