Supplementary Material for: Interim Evaluation of Germany’s Sugar Reduction Strategy for Soft Drinks: Commitments versus Actual Trends in Sugar Content and Sugar Sales from Soft Drinks

Introduction: A high intake of sugar, in particular from sugar-sweetened soft drinks, increases the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and dental caries. Germany has pursued a national strategy for sugar reduction in soft drinks based on voluntary commitments by industry since 2015, but its effects are unclear. Methods: We use aggregated annual sales data from Euromonitor International to assess trends in mean sales-weighted sugar content of soft drinks and per capita sugar sales from soft drinks in Germany from 2015-2021. We compare these trends to the reduction path set by Germany’s national sugar reduction strategy, and to data for the United Kingdom, which adopted a soft drinks tax in 2017 and which we selected as best practice comparison country based on pre-defined criteria. Results: Between 2015-2021, the mean sales-weighted sugar content of soft drinks sold in Germany decreased by 2% from 5.3 to 5.2 g/100ml, falling short of an interim 9% reduction target and a 29% reduction observed in the United Kingdom over the same period. Sugar sales from soft drinks in Germany decreased from 22.4 to 21.6 g/capita/day (-4%) between 2015-2021, but remain high from a public health perspective. Conclusions: Reductions observed under Germany’s sugar reduction strategy fall short of stated targets and trends observed internationally under best practice conditions. Additional policy measures may be needed to support sugar reduction in soft drinks in Germany.

前言：高糖摄入，尤其是含糖甜饮料带来的糖分摄入，会增加肥胖、2型糖尿病（type 2 diabetes mellitus）以及龋齿（dental caries）的发病风险。德国自2015年起基于行业自愿承诺推行了全国性软饮料减糖战略，但其实施效果尚不明确。
研究方法：本研究采用欧睿国际（Euromonitor International）提供的年度汇总销售数据，对2015年至2021年德国软饮料的销售额加权平均含糖量趋势，以及软饮料来源的人均糖分销量趋势进行评估。将上述趋势与德国全国性减糖战略设定的减糖路径，以及英国的相关数据进行对比；英国于2017年推行软饮料税，本研究基于预先设定的标准将其选为最佳实践对照国。
研究结果：2015年至2021年间，德国在售软饮料的销售额加权平均含糖量从5.3克/100毫升下降至5.2克/100毫升，降幅为2%，未达到设定的9%中期减糖目标，且同期英国的含糖量降幅达29%。德国软饮料来源的人均糖分销量从22.4克/人/天降至21.6克/人/天（降幅4%），但从公共卫生视角来看仍处于较高水平。
研究结论：德国减糖战略下实现的减糖幅度未达既定目标，且未达到国际最佳实践场景下的减糖趋势。德国或需出台额外政策措施，以推动软饮料领域的减糖工作。