The German city of Freiburg has taken a significant step toward reducing waste and litter across its streets and public spaces. As part of this initiative, the city has introduced charges on single-use packaging for food and beverages found in public areas.
Effective from 1 January 2026, the new tax applies to disposable containers, cups, plates, and cutlery used for takeaway food and drinks. Freiburg’s move reflects its strong commitment to environmental protection, aiming to promote reusable alternatives and minimize the ecological impact of packaging waste. The initiative highlights the city’s broader efforts to support clean, green, and sustainable urban living.
With the expanding food & beverages industry, the packaging line is likely to gain traction in the future. The complaint is not regarding the growth of any sector, but the after-effects of the use, referring to the food and beverages sector. The reason behind this initiative is to spread awareness of the responsibility the public is lacking to understand the environmental havoc to be visible in the future if left unattended.
The Freiburg municipal council has approved a new regulation requiring all food and beverage businesses that use disposable packaging to pay a levy on each single-use item. A charge of €0.50 per item will apply to single-use meal containers and beverage cups, including trays and plates. Straws longer than 10 centimeters and disposable cutlery will be subject to a levy of €0.20 per item. The tax will be calculated per individual item rather than per transaction, meaning that a single order containing multiple disposable products will incur multiple levies.
This idea popped after learning about the earlier local experiments regarding the packaging taxes performed in Tubingen. In the city of Tubingen the similar tax has been active since 2022 with permission from Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court.
Major German government initiatives since 2019s’ Packaging Act, VerpackG calls for a clear and precise EPR duty for distributors, retailers, and producers sponsor recycling and collection. Currently, the primary reason for this tax is to transform the demand criteria of consumers toward reusable alternatives. Furthermore, Freiburg’s government has highlighted this tax specification in funding for public waste management and to contribute to the markets and municipal initiatives organized for waste reduction.
Following this announcement, Freiburg has emerged as a trendsetter in packaging waste regulation and environmental policy across Germany and the wider European Union. The city’s initiative aligns with Germany’s plans to implement a Single-Use Plastics levy developed in accordance with EU directives, reinforcing the country’s broader commitment to reducing disposable packaging and promoting sustainable alternatives.
23 January 2026
23 January 2026
23 January 2026
23 January 2026