Overview
- Jan van Aken, co-leader of Die Linke, urged a statutory right to complimentary tap water for diners in comments published this week.
- Germany currently imposes no obligation on restaurants to serve water for free, despite an EU drinking water directive encouraging free provision or a small service fee.
- Hospitality groups and bottled-water producers voiced opposition, warning of lost beverage revenue and added service costs.
- Survey data cited in recent coverage found most consumers favor free tap water yet many hesitate to request it in restaurants.
- Some German venues already provide tap water on request or via self-serve dispensers, while France and Sweden are cited as established models.