Bremen plans packaging tax: 50 cents extra for disposable cups!

Bremen plans packaging tax: 50 cents extra for disposable cups!

in Bremen comes into a fresh wind with the planned advance to introduce a packaging tax in the discussion about environmental protection and waste avoidance. The Bremen Senate is determined to introduce a tax on disposable packaging from the beginning of 2026, similar to the model, which has been practiced in Tübingen for over three years. In Tübingen, for a large number of disposable packaging, about 50 cents for a coffee paper cup, is already asked to pay a lot, and the urban budget benefits from around 800,000 euros annually. The goal of this initiative is clear: reducing garbage and promoting reusable solutions.

The Chamber of Commerce in Bremen, however, has sharp criticism of the plans and describes the intended tax as "too expensive, bureaucratic and not expedient". According to a survey, 80 percent of the companies concerned fear increasing costs and increased bureaucratic effort. These fears are not unfounded: Already in Tübingen there were legal disputes about the tax that led to the Federal Constitutional Court. This decided that municipal levies are permitted for disposable packaging, but with some restrictions. For example, only packaging may be taxed that are consumed on site, while Takaway packaging remain tax-free if they serve for personal storage.

experiences from Tübingen

In the university city of Tübingen, the introduction of packaging tax has proven to be effective in recent years: The use of reusable containers has quadrupled since the introduction of the tax, supported by a comprehensive funding program. In contrast, the question remains how many cities, inspired by Tübingen, want to introduce a similar regulation. Cities like Heidelberg and Freiburg are thinking about the introduction of similar taxes after the Federal Constitutional Court has confirmed the legality of the Tübingen regulation.

The entrepreneurs in Bremen have to adapt to different tax rates and statutes between the municipalities. Small and medium -sized companies in particular could be affected by the additional bureaucracy. According to a current study, companies in the hospitality industry have already spent an average of 14 hours a week with legal requirements, and this could still exacerbate with a new packaging tax. The DIHK demands that the reduction in bureaucracy at the local level is prioritized as well as at the federal and EU level.

The challenge of waste prevention

Another point that shapes the discussion about packaging tax concerns the effectiveness of the regulations for avoiding waste. There is ambiguity as to how much the tax actually leads to waste reduction - after all, there are already other financing instruments that burden packaging. The IHK also remains skeptical and demands that instead of additional taxes, positive incentives for the use of reusable packaging should be created. In dialogue with politics and administration, it is to ensure that both environmental protection and economic sustainability are guaranteed.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the Bremen Senate will design the planned tax on disposable packaging. However, it is certain that the topic is very popular in the city and beyond and demands an intensive discussion. Because one thing is clear: there is something and it is up to us to find the right way.