Freiburg introduces packaging tax: kebab prices will soon rise!

Freiburg introduces packaging tax: kebab prices will soon rise!

On June 1, 2025, the Federal Constitutional Court officially legalized the packaging tax for municipalities in Germany. The decision gives cities such as Freiburg and Tübingen the opportunity to introduce such a tax in order to reduce the environmental impact of packaging waste. How the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported, additional costs for disposable packaging such as paper cups, aluminum foil and disposable trays are already being discussed in Freiburg.

The Freiburg municipal council has decided to introduce the packaging tax, despite the objections of Mayor Martin Horn. He fears the tax will increase prices for kebabs and other fast food offerings in the city. The introduction of the tax in Freiburg is planned for the beginning of 2026.

First steps and experiences in Tübingen

Tübingen was the first municipality in Germany to introduce a packaging tax in 2022. This amounts to 50 cents for each disposable packaging and 20 cents for straws and disposable cutlery. The tax applies to packaging used for immediately ready-to-eat foods, such as fries, burgers and coffee. However, food that is packed in the restaurant is exempt from the tax. According to information from CONVENTION In 2022, Tübingen generated revenue of almost one million euros from this tax, which flows into the city budget.

The city administration of Tübingen actively supported the companies in switching to reusable packaging. The aim is to establish affordable reusable packaging as the new normal. The introduction of the packaging tax has also seen a visual change in Tübingen: the city has become significantly cleaner since this measure. The Federal Constitutional Court's ruling not only ensured legal certainty, but could also serve as a signal for other municipalities in Germany.

Pandemic of packaging waste and nationwide expansion

The BUND is calling for a nationwide packaging tax to reduce the enormous amount of packaging waste in Germany. In 2021, Germany generated the largest amount of packaging waste in the EU with 19.7 million tons, which corresponds to around 237 kilograms of packaging waste per capita per year. Germany is also the leader in plastic production within the EU.

Given the introduction of the packaging tax in Freiburg and Tübingen, other cities such as Konstanz, Heidelberg, Ulm, Cologne, Göttingen, Gießen, Hanover, Osnabrück, Kaiserslautern, Speyer, Trier and Landau are planning similar measures. The discussion about the packaging tax therefore has the potential to sustainably change Germany's waste policy. In view of these developments, the introduction and implementation of packaging taxes is increasingly perceived as an important step in the fight against environmental pollution.