New WHO reports highlight missed potential of taxes on alcohol and sugary drinks to reduce cancer risk

Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) published two reports on the need for higher taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages to reduce consumption and associated health harms.

Alcohol remains a leading cause of preventable cancer, responsible for an estimated four percent of new cancer cases every year. Sugary drinks, meanwhile, contribute to poor diets , overweight and obesity, which are also  risk factors for cancer.

Despite taxes on harmful products such as alcohol and sugary beverages, tax measures are often poorly designed, with limited adjustments for inflation or rising incomes. Many countries also exempt certain alcohol categories entirely, while high-sugar beverages such as fruit juices and sweetened milk drinks are frequently left out of tax systems. Some jurisdictions even tax bottled water, which should remain an affordable alternative.

As a result, alcohol and sugary drinks have often become more affordable, making it easier for harmful levels of consumption to persist.

Public understanding of the health risks linked with alcohol and sugary drinks also remains limited, according to WHO’s reports. Many people are unaware, for example, of the association between alcohol and breast cancer, or that no type of alcoholic drink is safer than another. Marketing practices and widespread availability further complicate efforts to support informed decisionmaking.

Strong tax measures can help counter these influences, but only when part of a broader approach that includes restrictions on advertising, promotional pricing, and misleading product claims.

The WHO reports also describe how commercial interests can delay or weaken public health measures – something to which UICC has consistently drawn attention.

“For UICC and its members, the new WHO reports provide a timely reminder that stronger, simpler, and regularly updated tax systems – supported by clear public information and protections from industry interference – can help create healthier environments and reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases.”
– Sonali Johnson, Head of Knowledge, Advocacy and Policy