Freiburg City Council considers limiting packaging tax to single-use cups

The Freiburg City Council is considering a significant reform to the city’s municipal packaging tax. A majority of council factions, including the SPD+JF, CDU, FDP, and Freie Wähler, have proposed limiting the tax exclusively to single-use beverage cups.

The current regulation applies to various to-go items, such as disposable cutlery and straws, which can add between 20 and 70 cents to the cost of certain products. Proponents of the reform argue that the existing system is too bureaucratic and complex for businesses and confusing for citizens. They suggest that because established reusable alternatives already exist for beverages, the tax should focus there while exempting other food packaging to reduce costs for takeout meals.

In conjunction with this limitation, the city aims to promote reusable systems more aggressively, potentially making reusable containers mandatory in municipal facilities like public baths. However, environmental groups, including Deutsche Umwelthilfe, have expressed opposition. They warn that narrowing the scope of the tax could lead to increased waste and negative environmental consequences.