Ministers in the Netherlands have drafted five potential approaches for introducing a sugar tax.
Each version involves raising the tax on soft drinks according to their sugar content, with the level of exemptions influencing the extent of the tax increase.
In response to parliamentary requests, the government has diversified its options to promote the consumption of healthier soft drinks, regardless of whether the sugar is naturally occurring or added. The objective is to replace the current soft drink tax, which encompasses carbonated beverages, fruit and vegetable juices, and non-alcoholic beer, without regard to sugar levels.
While dairy products and soy drinks with comparable protein levels currently evade the soft drink tax, they will fall under the purview of the new system if they contain substantial sugar content. If approved by both houses of parliament, the earliest implementation date for the sugar tax would be 2026.
