After his unsuccessful bid for a sugar‑tax proposal at the CDU party conference, Schleswig‑Holstein’s Minister‑President Daniel Günther is looking to push the tax through the Bundesrat. Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” he noted that the issue of a sugar tax has not been abandoned. His state association secured a clear decision at the party conference, received “some support” at the federal conference, and other states have expressed sympathy. Consequently, Schleswig‑Holstein intends to use the remaining avenues in the Bundesrat to achieve success.
Günther expressed frustration with the debate at the party conference, saying that the arguments presented had nothing to do with youth protection. He described the discussion as defensive, rooted in the belief that a sugar tax would burden the economy. “The opposite is actually the case” he added, citing examples from other countries such as the United Kingdom. “We will continue to make a persuasive case”.
Opponents at the CDU conference advocated for education rather than bans, arguing against the proposed consumption tax on high‑sugar drinks and a sale‑age restriction on energy drinks at sixteen, while also voicing concerns about additional economic pressure. According to Günther, a sugar tax is not a market instrument but an opportunity to reduce health‑care costs, and above all, it is about protecting public health.