The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on governments to significantly increase taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol, warning that the widespread affordability of these products is fuelling preventable deaths worldwide.
In a statement on its website announcing the publication of two new global reports, the organisation warned that weak tax systems are allowing harmful products to remain cheap while health systems face mounting financial pressure from preventable noncommunicable diseases and injuries.
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According to the WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, health taxes are one of the strongest tools for promoting health and preventing disease.
“By increasing taxes on products like tobacco, sugary drinks, and alcohol, governments can reduce harmful consumption and unlock funds for vital health services,” Mr Ghebreyesus was quoted to have said.
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Taxation in many countries
Sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages are becoming increasingly affordable in many countries due to consistently low tax rates, a trend linked to rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and injuries, particularly among children and young adults.
The new reports released on Tuesday show that at least 116 countries currently tax sugar-sweetened beverages, yet many high-sugar products remain untaxed.
These include sodas, other carbonated drinks, 100 per cent fruit juices, sweetened milk drinks and ready-to-drink coffees and teas.
While 97 per cent of countries levy taxes on energy drinks, this figure has not changed since the last global report in 2023.
WHO cautioned that regular consumption of these beverages, often marketed as harmless refreshments, can have serious health consequences, including excess weight and obesity, Type 2 diabetes, dental caries and osteoporosis.
Alcohol taxation is similarly uneven. The reports show that at least 167 countries levy taxes on alcoholic beverages, while 12 ban alcohol entirely. Despite this, alcohol has become more affordable or remained unchanged in price in most countries since 2022, as excise duties fail to keep pace with inflation and income growth.
Globally, median excise rates remain low, at 14 per cent for beer and 22.5 per cent for spirits.
Sugary drink taxes are also weak and poorly targeted, often applying only to a subset of beverages, with the median tax accounting for about 2 per cent of the price of a common soda.
The reports also found that few governments adjust taxes for inflation, allowing these health-harming products to become steadily more affordable over time.
3 by 35 initiative
WHO emphasised that health taxes are among the most effective tools for reducing harmful consumption while generating revenue for public services.
Speaking virtually with journalists on Tuesday, Mr Ghebreyesus said such taxes can help prevent disease, ease pressure on health systems, and provide funds for health, education and social protection.
Etienne Krug, Director of WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention, noted that more affordable alcohol drives violence, injuries and disease, with the public often bearing the health and economic costs while industry profits.
The organisation urged countries to raise and redesign taxes as part of its new 3 by 35 initiative, which aims to increase the real prices of tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks by 2035, making them less affordable and helping protect public health worldwide.
To illustrate the effectiveness of health taxes, Mr Ghebreyesus cited the United Kingdom’s sugar levy, introduced in 2018.
He said the policy led to reduced sugar consumption, generated an additional £338 million in revenue in 2024 alone, and contributed to lower obesity rates among girls aged 10 and 11, particularly in deprived communities.
Rising burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria
WHO’s call comes amid growing concern over the rising NCDs in Nigeria, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular illnesses, which public health experts have linked to unhealthy diets and increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
Civil society organisations have repeatedly warned that Nigeria’s current fiscal measures remain inadequate.
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), a public health advocacy group, has criticised the country’s N10-per-litre excise duty on sugar-sweetened beverages, describing it as too low to curb consumption or meaningfully influence manufacturers’ practices.
CAPPA has urged the federal government to raise the sugary drinks tax to at least N130 per litre to discourage consumption and generate funds that could be channelled into healthcare and preventive programmes.
Beyond CAPPA, broader coalitions of health organisations have also called for the introduction of a minimum 20 per cent excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, arguing that stronger fiscal measures are necessary to reduce preventable diseases and improve the country’s health indices.
The push for higher taxes has also gained legislative attention. The Nigerian Senate recently held a public hearing on a proposed amendment to raise the sugar-sweetened beverage excise tax, with proponents citing potential public health gains as well as increased government revenue that could support the health sector.
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