The World Health Organization (WHO) is again calling on countries to raise the prices of “harmful products” such as alcohol and sugary drinks through a new initiative.
In a bid to improve public health and tackle rising rates for chronic diseases, the UN agency is urging countries to increase prices by at least 50% through health taxes by 2035.
Through its new ‘3 by 35’ initiative, the WHO is looking to raise $1trn in public revenue over the next ten years, as the organisation claims that tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks are "fuelling the NCD [noncommunicable diseases] epidemic".
According to the WHO, nearly 140 countries raised taxes on tobacco between 2012 and 2022, which saw real prices of the product go up by over 50% on average.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, assistant director general for the health promotion and disease prevention and control at WHO, said: “Health taxes are one of the most efficient tools we have. They cut the consumption of harmful products and create revenue governments can reinvest in health care, education, and social protection. It’s time to act.”
The WHO previously called on countries to raise taxes on sweetened and alcoholic drinks back in 2023.
A spokesperson for EU industry lobby body FoodDrinkEurope said a 50% drinks tax is “not the solution”.
The spokesperson said diets and lifestyles are “too complex to be effectively shaped by blunt instruments like taxes on individual foods, beverages, or nutrients”.
They added that “such one-size-fits-all measures often fail to deliver health benefits and can lead to unintended consequences,” such as consumers turning to “alternative or unregulated products, which may carry greater health risks and add to social costs.”
They continued: “Empowering consumers through better information and broader choices is key to achieving lasting improvements in public health.”
In June, Vietnam approved a proposal to raise the consumption tax on alcohol, and bring in a levy on sugary drinks, according to the local branch of the World Health Organization (WHO).
In April, the UK also called out for a consultation on proposals to widen the sugar tax on soft drinks and include milk-based drinks.
Italy, on the other hand, has had plans to implement a sugar tax on sugary drinks since 2020, but last month this was pushed back again to January 2026.
