Geneva, The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a call to countries, urging them to raise taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to promote healthier behaviors and combat the global health challenges associated with their consumption.
The WHO highlighted that the average global tax rate on these “unhealthy products” is currently low and emphasized the need for countries to implement excise taxes on both sugar-sweetened beverages and alcoholic beverages. According to the WHO, the current global average of excise taxes on SSBs represents just 6.6 percent of the price of a soda.
The health agency stated that 2.6 million people annually die from alcohol consumption, and over eight million die due to an unhealthy diet. Implementing taxes on these products not only aims to reduce the use of such items but also serves as an incentive for companies to produce healthier alternatives.
Rudiger Krech, the WHO’s health promotion director, emphasized the positive impact of taxing unhealthy products on creating healthier populations, citing a ripple effect of less disease, reduced debilitation, and increased government revenue for public services.
The WHO released a manual on alcohol tax policy and administration for its 194 member states, advocating for minimum pricing coupled with taxation to curb the consumption of inexpensive alcoholic beverages. The manual addresses concerns raised by the drinks industry about the impact of alcohol taxes on lower socioeconomic groups, emphasizing the disproportionate harm per liter for consumers in these groups.
The organization called for well-designed alcohol tax and pricing policies to address the increasing affordability of alcoholic beverages over time. The manual also highlighted disparities in excise taxes, with some countries exempting wine from such taxes.
As the WHO emphasizes the impact of alcohol and sugary drinks on public health, the call for increased taxes becomes part of the global effort to mitigate the associated risks and promote healthier lifestyles.
