The petition has been launched by supermarket chain REWE and plant milk producers vly, Berief and Oatly.
ProVeg Germany has strongly welcomed a petition launched by supermarket chain REWE and three plant milk manufacturers, vly, Berief and Oatly calling for the reduction of VAT on plant milk in Germany from the current 19 percent to 7 percent.
ProVeg says this reduction would be a huge step towards implementing the support of alternative proteins, written down in the coalition agreement of the German government. It also would contribute towards equal treatment of foods that are virtually identical in their function and use, thereby helping to establish fair competition in the market.
Particularly in view of the German government’s climate targets, the VAT reduction would help to prevent false incentives. Within the food sector, dairy products have one of the highest impacts on the climate alongside meat products.[1, 2] With plant-based milk requiring less water, less land and emitting fewer greenhouse gas emissions than cow’s milk, it holds significant potential to contribute to a more sustainable food system overall.[3]
Not least, plant-based milk expands consumer choices, providing an option for people who are lactose intolerant, which amounts to 15 to 20 percent of the German population. Another 7 percent of children and 3 percent of adults are allergic to milk sugar. [4]
In terms of nutrients, plant-based milk in Germany performs just as well as cow’s milk in a direct comparison, with soy milk even performing significantly better.[5] In its latest recommendations, the German Nutrition Society advocates the use of plant-based milk, provided that it is unsweetened and enriched with nutrients.[6]
ProVeg Germany will support the petition on all its communication channels and sees it as a clear sign of a forward-looking food policy.
The petition, which can be signed from now until 20 August, 2025, can be found here.
ENDS
Footnotes
[1] Reinhard, G., S. Gärtner & T. Wagner (2020): Ökologische Fußabdrücke von Lebensmitteln und Gerichten in Deutschland, Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg (ifeu), Heidelberg. Online: https://www.ifeu.de/fileadmin/uploads/Reinhardt-Gaertner-Wagner-2020-Oekologische-Fu%C3%9Fabdruecke-von-Lebensmitteln-und-Gerichten-in-Deutschland-ifeu-2020.pdf
[2] Poore, J. & T. Nemecek (2018): Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers, Science 360(6392), p. 987–992. Online: Doi:10.1126/science.aaq0216
[3] Poore, J. & T. Nemecek (2018): Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers, Science 360(6392), p. 987–992. Online: Doi:10.1126/science.aaq0216
[4] Flatz G., Howell J. N., Doench J. & S.D. Flatz (1982): Distribution of physiological adult lactase phenotypes, lactose absorber and malabsorber, in Germany, Human Genetics(62), p.152–157. Online: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00282305
[5] ProVeg (2024): Building Bridges between Habit and Health, Online: https://proveg.org/report/nutritional-assessment-of-plant-based-meat-and-milk-alternatives/
[6] Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e. V. (2024): Kuhmilch(-produkte) und pflanzliche Milchalternativen in einer nachhaltigeren Ernährung. Online: https://www.ernaehrungs-umschau.de/fileadmin/Ernaehrungs-Umschau/pdfs/pdf_2024/12_24/DGE-Position_Kuhmilch_und_pflanzliche_Milchalternativen.pdf
Notes to Editors
For media inquiries, email [email protected].
For scientific data about the benefits of plant-based eating, see our Food System Data website.
About ProVeg International
ProVeg International is a food awareness organization with the mission to replace 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040. Our vision is a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.
