Sugary foods and drinks to cost more in the Netherlands with new sugar tax
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By Simone Jacobs
The incoming Dutch government have revealed plans to introduce a sugar tax from 2030. Foods and drinks containing more than 6 percent of sugar would be more expensive, costing an average of 50 euros extra per year or even more for people with a sweet tooth.
Sugary foods and drinks to cost more in the Netherlands
In the coalition agreement between D66, VVD and CDA, the parties included plans to introduce a sugar tax. The proposed tax would be levied on prepackaged foods and beverages containing 6 percent or more of sugar sold in Dutch supermarkets.
The goal of the Dutch sugar tax is to encourage residents to choose food and drinks with lower sugar content. "We're making unhealthy choices less attractive," states the coalition agreement.
From what has been revealed, it appears that the more sugar a product has, the higher the tax will be. It is still unclear how exactly the sugar tax will be levied and how it will affect the price of consumables.
How will this affect consumers in the Netherlands?
The new government expects to collect 900 million euros annually in sugar taxes from 2030. This equates to an average of 50 euros per person, while someone who barely eats sugary items will pay less, and those who consume more will pay more.
As the proposed sugar tax would only apply to prepackaged items, it will likely not apply to fresh fruits or items from the bakery, as they are not prepackaged with nutritional information. However, it could create a confusing situation where frozen fruits are taxed, even though the Dutch Nutrition Centre states that frozen versions are just as healthy.
"I assume they make an exception for frozen fruit," Dutch Nutrition Centre expert Liesbeth Velema told NOS. "We often advise people on a tighter budget to buy frozen fruit. It's just as healthy and often a bit cheaper."
A consumption tax already applies to non-alcoholic beverages, such as juice and soft drinks, but does not depend on the amount of sugar in a drink.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training.Read more