Rules by country / Germany / Germany sugar tax 2027
Germany sugar tax 2027: what it costs each drink, and what to do
If parliament agrees, sugary soft drinks pay 26 or 32 cents a litre from 1 July 2027. We work out the cost for every product and the most profitable response: pass it on, absorb it or cut sugar.
At the planned rates in the cabinet's draft law of October 2026. Parliament may still change them.
A sugar tax review for Germany
Your tax bill and the most profitable response, product by product, with a price plan ready before July 2027.
- The planned tax on every product, from July 2027
- Pass on, absorb or cut sugar: the most profitable choice for each product, and how sure we are
- The most a recipe change can cost and still pay
- A price plan for each retailer, and an Excel model to update if the rates change
How your results look
| Product | Sugar per 100ml | Tax from 2027 | Our advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cola, 330ml can | 10.6g | 10.6 cents a can | Pass on in full |
| Lemonade, 1.5 litres | 5.4g | 39 cents a bottle | Cut sugar below 5g |
| Iced tea, 500ml | 7.2g | 13 cents a bottle | Absorb it |
Fictional products. Every real result comes with the expected sales and profit, and a likely range.
Your options
Every option has a fixed price, agreed before we start.
Sugar tax review
- The tax and best choice for each product
- Price plan for each retailer
- Scenario model and a walk-through
Pricing review with the tax
- Everything in the tax review
- Prices and promotions for the whole range
- How your products take sales from each other
Portfolio review
- Everything in the pricing review
- More retailers and data sources
- A plan for each channel
After the project: a refresh before each pricing round, from £2,000 (about €2,400). Prices are fixed in pounds sterling; amounts in euros are a guide at October 2026 exchange rates. We're based in the UK and work remotely, in English, under NDA.
How it works
From the first call to your plan in about three weeks.
A free 15-minute call
Tell us about your range. We say whether a review would pay for itself, and quote a fixed price.
Your data
Sales by product and retailer, recipes and costs. We sign an NDA before anything moves.
Your plan
The tax on every product, the best choice and a price plan, walked through with your team.
Germany sugar tax: the detail
Open only what you need.
- Status
- Draft law approved by the federal cabinet in October 2026. Parliament still has to pass it.
- Planned start
- 1 July 2027
- Rates
- 26 cents a litre from 5g to under 8g of sugar per 100ml, and 32 cents at 8g or more
- In scope
- Soft drinks, energy drinks, lemonades, iced teas and sweetened fruit drinks
- Excluded
- Pure juices, milk drinks, drinks sweetened only with sweeteners, and alcoholic drinks
- Small producers
- Producers of under 70,000 litres a year are exempt
- Expected revenue
- About 690 million euros in 2027
Pass it on
Raise the price by the tax or more. Works for products whose sales hold up when the price rises.
Absorb it
Keep the price and take the cost. Works when a rise would push a product past a key price point and lose more profit than the tax.
Cut sugar
Reformulate below 5g to pay nothing, or below 8g for the lower rate. Works when the tax saved is worth more than the recipe cost and any lost sales.
Does Germany have a sugar tax?
Not yet. The federal cabinet approved a draft law in October 2026 for a tax on sugary soft drinks from 1 July 2027. Parliament still has to pass it.
When does the German sugar tax start?
1 July 2027 is the planned start, if parliament passes the law.
How much is the German sugar tax?
26 cents a litre for drinks with 5g to under 8g of sugar per 100ml, and 32 cents a litre at 8g or more. At the higher rate that is about 10.6 cents on a 330ml can.
Are zero-sugar drinks taxed?
No. Drinks sweetened only with sweeteners are excluded from the planned tax, and so are pure juices and milk drinks.
How much does a sugar tax review cost?
A review of up to 10 products has a fixed price from £7,500 (about €9,000) and takes about three weeks. For 11 to 50 products, a full pricing review with the sugar tax built in costs around £17,500 (about €21,000). It starts with a free 15-minute call.
Do you work with brands in Germany?
Yes. We're based in the UK and work remotely and in English, under NDA. Prices are fixed in pounds sterling before we start, and the first step is a free 15-minute call.
Checked on 20 October 2026. Rules and rates change, so check the official source before making decisions. This page is not tax advice.
Also changing prices in Germany
Ask about these on the same call.