The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called on governments to raise taxes on sugary and alcoholic drinks, complaining that too few countries are using taxation to encourage consumers to give up unhealthy habits, AFP reported.
After studying the tax rates on these foods, WHO concluded that the average tax rate on “these unhealthy foods” is low and that an increase would help improve people’s health.
“WHO recommends that excise taxes be applied to all sweetened and alcoholic beverages,” said a press release issued in Geneva.
According to WHO, 2.6 million people die every year due to alcohol consumption, and more than 8 million die due to consumption of unhealthy products.
“Implementing taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages will reduce these deaths,” says the WHO.
This will not only be a deterrent for consumers, but also an incentive for companies to produce healthier drinks.
According to the WHO, 108 countries tax soft and sweetened beverages, but the average tax rate is only 6.6% of the price of a soft drink.
Half of these countries also introduce water taxes, which is against WHO recommendations.
“Taxing unhealthy products improves people’s health. This has a positive impact on society, reduces disease and frailty, and generates revenue for governments to provide public services,” said Rudiger Krech, WHO Director for Health Promotion.
“In the case of alcohol, taxes help prevent violence and traffic injuries,” he noted.
On Tuesday, the WHO published a guide to alcohol taxation for the organization’s 194 member states.
The guide recommends that the minimum price, along with the tax, will help reduce the consumption of cheap alcohol, as well as alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths, traffic violations and crime.
About 148 countries introduce an excise tax on alcoholic beverages. “However, wine is exempt from excise duty in at least 22 countries, most of them in Europe,” the WHO said.
According to the WHO, the average excise duty on the best-selling brand of beer is 17.2 percent, and on the most popular brand of alcohol – 26.5 percent. (photo: © Ocusfocus | Dreamstime.com)
Source: Hot News
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