Sugary drinks and alcohol are becoming cheaper in many countries, and this is harming public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. The UN health agency has urged governments around the world to increase taxes on sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco to reduce their consumption and raise money for healthcare.

According to the WHO, low or weak taxes on these products are leading to serious health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. While companies selling sugary drinks and alcohol earn billions of dollars in profits, governments collect only a small amount of money through health-related taxes. As a result, societies are left to deal with rising healthcare costs caused by preventable diseases.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health taxes are one of the most effective ways to protect people’s health. He explained that increasing taxes on products like alcohol, sugary drinks and tobacco can help reduce harmful consumption while also generating funds for important health services. Tedros added that for poorer countries, especially those struggling due to reduced foreign aid, such taxes can help make health systems more financially stable and self-reliant.

WHO officials said evidence clearly shows that higher taxes on tobacco reduce consumption, and sugary drinks should be treated in the same way. Jeremy Farrar, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for health promotion and disease prevention, said taxation can also help change people’s behaviour and support prevention efforts, especially as non-communicable diseases continue to rise worldwide.

However, Tedros warned that health taxes are not easy to introduce. He said such taxes are often unpopular with voters and face strong opposition from powerful industries that have a lot of money and influence. Despite this, he pointed out that countries like the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Lithuania have successfully used health taxes to improve public health.

The WHO is encouraging countries to redesign and raise taxes under its “3 by 35” initiative, which aims to increase the prices of tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks by the year 2035.

The WHO also released two global reports, one on alcohol taxes and another on sugary drinks. It found that while 116 countries tax sugary drinks, many high-sugar products such as 100% fruit juices, flavoured milk, and ready-to-drink coffees and teas are not taxed.

The alcohol report showed that beer became more affordable in 56 countries between 2022 and 2024. It also found that wine is exempt from excise taxes in at least 25 countries, especially in Europe. The WHO said all alcoholic drinks should be taxed properly to reduce consumption.

WHO experts warned that cheaper alcohol leads to violence, injuries and disease. While companies profit, the public pays the price through poor health and economic losses, the organisation said.