Schleswig-Holsteins Ministerpräsident Daniel Günther intends to pursue a sugar tax on sweetened beverages through the Bundesrat, despite its rejection at the recent CDU party congress. The CDU-Schleswig-Holstein had proposed a tiered tax to incentivize reduced sugar content and an age limit of 16 for energy drinks, but the federal congress voted against it. Günther criticized the opposition as a defensive reaction to economic concerns, arguing instead that a sugar tax would minimize healthcare costs and improve public health, particularly for children and adolescents. This stance is supported by 46 medical and consumer organizations, including Foodwatch and the Marburger Bund, who highlight the significant healthcare costs associated with sugar-related illnesses, estimated at nearly twelve billion euros annually in Germany.