On Tuesday, the Italian Chamber adopted the 2026 finance law, officially postponing the “sugar tax” – which targets sugar-sweetened non-alcoholic beverages – to January 2027.
The legal framework for the tax, which was due to enter into force on 1 January 2026, was introduced under the 2020 finance law. Successive governments, however, have repeatedly postponed it.
“The twelve-month postponement makes it possible to continue the dialogue with the government with a view to the definitive abolition of taxes such as the sugar tax and the plastic tax, which unnecessarily hinder investment in the country,” said Giangiacomo Pierini, president of Assobibe, an industry lobby group representing soft drink producers in Italy.
The idea of a tax on sugary drinks has not only sparked a debate in Rome; in December, Germany revived the debate on a national sugar tax.
“A sugar tax has been long awaited, both politically and economically,” said Daniel Günther, minister-president of Germany’s northernmost state Schleswig-Holstein.
However, the proposal is expected to face opposition from some members of the governing coalition, particularly from Germany’s Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer.
At the European level, the Commission had suggested that a tax on ultra-processed foods, products high in fat, sugar or salt, as well as sugar-sweetened alcoholic beverages, could be introduced as part of its cardiovascular health plan.
Faced with backlash from agri-food giants, the Commission’s plan published in December did not include a commitment to a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.
(vib)