WHO calls for higher taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol to cut disease burden
text_fields
Sugary drinks and alcohol are becoming increasingly affordable, prompting the World Health Organization on Tuesday to urge governments to raise taxes on the products to curb consumption and strengthen health systems.
The WHO said consistently low taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol in most countries are fuelling obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancers, while placing growing financial pressure on health systems already burdened by preventable non-communicable diseases.
“Weak tax systems are allowing harmful products to remain cheap while health systems face mounting financial pressure,” the UN health agency said. It added that while these products generate billions of dollars in profits, governments collect only a small share through health-focused taxes, leaving societies to bear long-term health and economic costs.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health taxes are among the strongest tools available to promote healthier behaviour and prevent disease.
He said increasing taxes on tobacco, sugary drinks, and alcohol can reduce harmful consumption while generating funds for essential health services. Tedros also noted that for poorer countries facing shrinking aid, such taxes could support a shift toward sustainable health financing.
WHO Assistant Director-General Jeremy Farrar said evidence clearly shows tobacco taxes reduce consumption and that sugary drinks should be treated similarly. He said taxation can help change behaviour and support prevention efforts as non-communicable diseases rise.
Tedros cautioned that health taxes can be politically unpopular and often face resistance from powerful industries, but said several countries, including the Philippines, Britain, and Lithuania, have shown they can work when implemented effectively.
The WHO has called on countries to raise and redesign taxes under its “3 by 35” initiative, which aims to increase prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by 2035. It also said many high-sugar products and some alcoholic beverages remain undertaxed, contributing to increased consumption and related harms.