The World Health Organization announced in a press release on Tuesday, December 5, that 2.6 million individuals worldwide pass away annually due to alcohol consumption, while over eight million die from poor dietary habits.
WHO urged for heightened taxation on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) as a means to mitigate fatalities linked to alcohol consumption and unhealthy lifestyles.
In the recently disclosed information, WHO highlighted that global taxes on detrimental products like alcohol and SSBs were notably low.
The World Health Organization declared on Tuesday, December 5, that globally, 2.6 million people succumb to alcohol-related causes annually, while over eight million die due to an unhealthy diet. In response, the WHO advocated for heightened taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to mitigate fatalities linked to these behaviors.
In the recent data disclosed on Tuesday, the WHO unveiled that global taxes on detrimental products, including alcohol and SSBs, remained low. The revelations underscored that the majority of countries weren’t utilizing taxes to promote healthier choices.
The report pointed out that numerous countries, despite taxing SSBs, were also taxing water, contrary to WHO recommendations. The statistics indicated that although 108 countries were taxing some form of sugar-sweetened beverage, the average excise tax—a tax specifically designated for a particular consumer product—constituted just 6.6 percent of the soda price globally.
Furthermore, the findings highlighted that at least 148 countries imposed excise taxes on alcoholic beverages at the national level. However, wine was exempt from excise taxes in 22 countries, predominantly in the European region. On a global scale, the excise tax share in the price of the most widely sold brand of beer averaged 17.2 percent, while for the most popular type of spirits, it stood at 26.5 percent.
A 2017 study underscored that taxes leading to a 50 percent hike in alcohol prices could prevent over 21 million deaths in 50 years, generating nearly $17 trillion in additional revenues. This sum is comparable to the combined government revenue of the world’s eight largest economies in a single year.
Dr. Rűdiger Krech, the WHO Director for Health Promotion, emphasized, “Taxing unhealthy products results in healthier populations, creating a positive ripple effect across society—less disease and debilitation, along with increased revenue for governments to deliver public services. In the case of alcohol, taxes also play a crucial role in preventing violence and road traffic injuries.
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