Bad news for lovers of wine, beer or spirits: taxes on alcohol could soon increase. As part of the Social Security financing bill (PLFSS) for 2026, around twenty amendments were tabled by deputies from the left and the center to tax more alcoholic beverages. Officially, these measures aim to protect public health, particularly of young people. Unofficially, they could also… replenish the state coffers, which are starving!
Alcohol in the crosshairs of the 2026 budget
Among the proposals is the removal of the 1.75% cap which currently limits the annual increase in alcohol taxes. The idea would be to model this tax on that of tobacco, already indexed to inflation. Other amendments want to extend the “Social Security” contribution to all alcoholic beverages (and no longer just those containing more than 18%) or even create a 3% tax on advertising expenditure by large groups in the sector.
Beers are not spared: several amendments aim to tax flavored and sweet beers, to increase the excise on strong beers, or to extend the tax on “premixes” up to 25% alcohol. So many measures which, if adopted, would significantly increase the Price per bottle, or even per pint.
These so-called “behavioral” taxes could also concern tobacco. The government, which is looking for new revenue to finance Social Security, does not rule out a further increase in prices. These increases are intended to deter consumption, but they spark heated debates about their actual effectiveness.
Supporters of these measures point out that the social cost of alcohol – care, prevention, repression – is colossal: around 102 billion euros per year according to the Addictions France association. “ Companies that market these products should contribute more », estimates BFMTV the organization, which campaigns for tougher taxes.
On the professional side, we fear another hard blow for a sector already weakened by the drop in consumption and export difficulties. The battle therefore promises to be heated in the National Assembly, before continuing in the Senate. And if some of these proposals were to pass, it is almost certain that toasting could well cost a little more from next year.
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