Increase taxes on fruit juices, sugary drinks, alcohol to reduce diabetes and cancers: WHO

The WHO urges higher taxes on sugary drinks, fruit juices, and alcohol to combat non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart conditions. Low taxation keeps these products cheap, boosting consumption and profits while straining global health systems

New Delhi: Increasing taxes on fruit juices, sugary drinks, and alcohol is essential to curb the rising non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and injuries, especially in children and young adults, said the World Health Organization (WHO).

In two new global reports, the WHO flagged concerns that sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages are getting cheaper, due to consistently low tax rates in most countries. While more than 100 countries tax sugary drinks like sodas, other high-sugar products, such as 100 per cent fruit juices, sweetened milk drinks, and ready-to-drink coffees and teas, escape taxation.

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The median tax for these accounts for only about 2 per cent of the price of a common sugary soda.

Besides, only a few countries are adjusting taxes for inflation, allowing the health-harming products to become steadily more affordable. Being cheap for consumption, the harmful products are generating billions of dollars in profit.

On the other hand, health systems across the globe are facing mounting financial pressure from preventable noncommunicable diseases and injuries, the WHO said, while calling on governments to significantly strengthen taxes on sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages.

“Health taxes are one of the strongest tools we have for promoting health and preventing disease,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“By increasing taxes on products like tobacco, sugary drinks, and alcohol, governments can reduce harmful consumption and unlock funds for vital health services,” he added.

In a separate report, the WHO stated that alcohol has become more affordable or remained unchanged in price in most countries since 2022, despite clear health risks. At least 167 countries levy taxes on alcoholic beverages, while 12 ban alcohol entirely.

WHO found that across regions, tax shares on alcohol remain low, with global excise share medians of 14 per cent for beer and 22.5 per cent for spirits.

“More affordable alcohol drives violence, injuries and disease,” said Dr Etienne Krug, Director of WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention.

“While industry profits, the public often carries the health consequences and society the economic costs,” Krug said. The WHO called on countries to raise and redesign taxes and increase the real prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by 2035, making them less affordable over time to help protect people’s health.