WHO Urges Higher Taxes on Sugary Drinks and Alcohol to Cut Deaths, Boost Public Health Funding
Global health authorities have urged governments worldwide to sharply raise taxes on sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages, warning that their widespread availability and low prices are contributing to preventable deaths and long-term health crises.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said sugary beverages and alcohol remain far too affordable in many countries, fuelling rising cases of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and injury, PulseNets learnt.
Speaking during a virtual media briefing on Tuesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said stronger taxation policies have proven health and economic benefits.
“Well-designed health taxes consistently lower consumption of harmful products, reduce disease burden, and ease pressure on national health systems,” he told journalists. “They also provide governments with sustainable revenue that can be channelled into healthcare, education, and social protection.”
PulseNets obtained details from WHO’s latest findings showing that at least 116 countries currently impose some form of tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. However, the report noted that many high-sugar products remain exempt, including sodas, carbonated canned drinks, 100 per cent fruit juices, sweetened milk beverages, as well as ready-to-drink coffees and teas.
On alcohol taxation, WHO reported that 167 countries levy taxes on beer, wine, and spirits. Despite this, alcohol has become more affordable or has maintained the same price in most countries since 2022, largely because tax rates have not kept pace with inflation or rising incomes, PulseNets reported.
WHO warned that even everyday consumption habits can have serious long-term effects.
“That cold, sweet drink from a neighbourhood café on a hot afternoon may seem harmless, but frequent intake can carry significant health consequences,” the organisation stated.
According to the report, high consumption of sugary drinks is closely linked to excess weight and obesity, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions such as dental caries and osteoporosis.
Alcohol consumption, the WHO said, poses equally severe risks, including increased maternal and child health complications, greater exposure to communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health damage, and a higher likelihood of injuries to both drinkers and others around them.
PulseNets learnt that the WHO reaffirmed evidence showing that higher taxes on harmful beverages lead directly to reduced consumption. To support this, the agency cited several country-level successes, including the United Kingdom, which introduced a sugar tax in 2018.
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That policy resulted in a significant reduction in sugar intake, generated £338 million in revenue in 2024 alone, and contributed to lower obesity rates among girls aged 10 and 11, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
WHO also called on governments to not only raise existing taxes but redesign them under a broader health initiative aimed at reducing tobacco use and excessive consumption of alcohol and sugary drinks, PulseNets was told.
