The SPD’s economic faction, the “Seeheimer Kreis” is calling for the removal of the value-added tax on healthy food items. Esra Limbacher, the head of the Seeheimer Kreis and the SPD parliamentary group deputy for “Bild am Sonntag” stated, “Inflation is poison-for our economy and for every citizen. We need an inflation brake for normal people in this country”.
According to Limbacher, German politics cannot control international oil prices, but they can ensure that price increases in energy and food do not freely empty German households. His specific demand is to reduce the value-added tax on healthy food staples to zero. He argued that a child’s ability to eat healthily should not depend on the parents’ bank account balance.
To be precise, Limbacher wants the tax eliminated for items such as fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meat, bread, noodles, rice, eggs, and water, but he does not want this exemption applied to items like chocolate, chips, or cola.