WHO urges higher taxes on sugary drinks, alcohol to stem health crisis
Regular consumption of sugary beverages is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dental problems, and osteoporosis.
What you need to know:
- The report on sugar-sweetened beverages shows that while 116 countries tax sodas and other carbonated drinks, many high-sugar products, including 100 per cent fruit juices, sweetened milk drinks, and ready-to-drink coffees and teas, escape taxation.
- Similarly, although 167 countries levy taxes on alcohol, drinks have become more affordable or remained unchanged in price in most regions since 2022, as levies often fail to keep pace with inflation and income growth.
Beverages like sugary drinks and alcohol remain too cheap and widely available across much of the world, contributing to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and injuries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
Two new WHO reports reveal that taxes on these products remain low in many countries, limiting their potential to improve public health.
“Health taxes have been shown to reduce consumption of these harmful products, helping to prevent disease and reduce the burden on health systems,” WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said during a virtual press briefing.
“At the same time, they generate an income stream that governments can use to invest in health, education and social protection.”
The report on sugar-sweetened beverages shows that while 116 countries tax sodas and other carbonated drinks, many high-sugar products, including 100 per cent fruit juices, sweetened milk drinks, and ready-to-drink coffees and teas, escape taxation.
Similarly, although 167 countries levy taxes on alcohol, drinks have become more affordable or remained unchanged in price in most regions since 2022, as levies often fail to keep pace with inflation and income growth.
Health experts stress the consequences of low-cost sugary drinks and alcohol. Regular consumption of sugary beverages is linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dental problems, and osteoporosis.
Alcohol consumption increases risks for maternal and child health, mental health disorders, exposure to communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and injury.
Evidence shows that increasing taxes reduces consumption. Dr Tedros highlighted UK’s example, where a 2018 sugary drink tax led to lower sugar intake, £338 million in additional revenue in 2024 alone, and reduced obesity rates among girls aged 10–11, particularly in deprived communities. WHO is urging governments to raise and redesign taxes as part of a broader initiative targeting tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks.
In support of the call, Alison Cox, Director of Policy and Advocacy at NCD Alliance, an organisation advocating for policies to prevent noncommunicable diseases, said well-designed health taxes represent a clear ‘triple win’: better health outcomes, stronger public finances, and reduced long-term costs.
“They protect population health while making industries accountable for the social and economic costs of their products,” she added.
Cox also highlighted political challenges: “Arguments about national sovereignty are sometimes used to block health taxes, but in reality, these policies strengthen countries’ ability to respond to domestic health and fiscal challenges.” She added that global commitments matter, but national action and leadership will determine the success of health taxes.
WHO and partners, including NCD Alliance, are calling on countries to step forward and implement stronger, pro-health taxation policies to protect populations and generate sustainable resources for public services.
