How falling drink prices could fuel a hidden epidemic of diseases and injuries

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by WHO, click this post to read the original article.

Sugary drinks and alcoholic beverages have become increasingly affordable worldwide due to consistently low tax rates, particularly in developing nations. As a result, these products are contributing to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancers, and injuries—especially among children and young adults. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued two new global reports urging governments to introduce stronger taxes on these harmful products as a way to improve health outcomes and reduce public health costs.

The WHO highlights that although the sugary drinks and alcohol industries generate billions in global profits, governments are capturing only a small portion of this revenue through taxes. This gap leaves societies to absorb the long-term costs related to poor health and strained healthcare systems. While 116 countries tax sugary drinks and 167 tax alcohol, many important categories such as fruit juices and wine remain largely untaxed, and most excise taxes fail to reflect inflation or rising incomes. This means these products are getting cheaper over time, despite widespread health consequences.

According to WHO, sugary drink taxes typically only account for about 2% of a product’s retail price and often target only a limited range of beverages. Similarly, alcohol taxes are modest, with global median excise shares of just 14% for beer and 22.5% for spirits. These weak tax policies make harmful products more accessible and affordable, undermining public health efforts. Notably, a 2022 Gallup poll showed most people support higher taxes on sugary and alcoholic drinks.

WHO is now urging countries to take stronger action by adopting its “3 by 35” initiative, which aims to increase the real prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by the year 2035. By doing so, you can help reduce consumption, improve health outcomes, and ensure that the industries profiting from these products contribute more equitably to society.