Cheap Alcohol as Barrier to Health Promotion
Cheap alcohol continues to undermine health promotion initiatives across world regions with very different income levels. A recent World Health Organisation (WHO) analysis shows that low prices and inadequate tax policies allow alcohol products to remain widely affordable in the European Union, several African countries, and the Philippines. The report links affordability directly to higher alcohol consumption and avoidable harm, especially among lower-income groups and young people.
European Union: High Availability and Rising Affordability
The World Health Organisation, cited in Politico, warns that alcohol affordability has risen across the European Union despite mounting health harm.
For example, the EU includes seven of the ten countries with the highest per-capita alcohol consumption globally, with Romania, Latvia, and Czechia ranking among the highest consumers worldwide.
Since 2022, alcohol affordability trends have worsened. In fact, beer has become more affordable in 11 EU countries and less affordable in only six. Spirits have become more affordable in 17 EU countries and less affordable in just two. These shifts show that alcohol prices continue to lag behind income growth and inflation.
Moreover, wine taxation is a major policy gap. Wine is not taxed at all in 14 EU countries, including Italy and Spain. WHO describes this exemption as unusual by international standards and driven by political and economic interests rather than people’s health considerations. WHO economist Anne-Marie Perucic stresses that higher affordability leads directly to higher alcohol consumption.
Furthermore, WHO identifies alcohol use as a major driver of cancer, with risks rising alongside higher consumption. Alcohol also fuels cardiovascular disease, depression, injuries, and violence, placing additional strain on already stretched health systems. WHO Director Etienne Krug warns that more affordable alcohol fuels violence, injuries, and disease while society bears the health and economic costs.
Despite these risks, EU policy choices continue to favour alcohol industry interests. The European Union approved a wine sector support package in December and dropped plans for an EU-wide tax on alcopops under the Safe Hearts initiative.
African Countries: Insufficient Alcohol Taxes and Increasing Affordability
WHO, reported by The Star, highlights African countries as another region where inadequate alcohol tax systems allow alcohol to remain cheap and widely available.
For example, WHO reports that only 14% of countries in the African region adjust alcohol and sugary drink taxes for inflation. This failure allows alcohol to become steadily cheaper over time.
In fact, WHO confirms that alcohol has become more affordable or remained unchanged in price in most countries since 2022. According to The Star reporting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained that inadequate and poorly designed tax systems have allowed health-harming products to stay affordable.
In most countries, these taxes are too low to be effective, poorly designed, not adjusted regularly, and rarely aligned with public health objectives,” said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
As a result, alcohol and sugary drinks have become more affordable, even as diseases and injuries associated with their consumption continue to place growing strain on health systems, families and budgets.”
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation
Global alcohol tax benchmarks show how limited current measures remain. WHO, as cited in IOL, reports that global median excise tax shares stand at 14% for beer and 22.5% for spirits, far below levels needed to lower population-level consumption.
WHO warns that these low rates increase industry profits while societies absorb the long-term health and economic costs.
WHO links alcohol affordability in African countries to rising risks of injuries, cancers, cardiovascular disease, and violence. The organisation stresses that modern and regularly adjusted alcohol taxes are essential for health promotion and sustainable development.
Philippines: Alcohol Affordability and Missed Prevention Opportunities
Moreover, research identifies the Philippines among countries where alcohol affordability remains high because excise taxes stay low and rarely adjust for inflation, reports The Rappler. In fact, WHO confirms that alcohol has become more affordable or remained unchanged in price in most countries since 2022, including middle-income countries such as the Philippines.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros describes pro-health taxes as one of the most cost-effective and impactful tools available to prevent disease and finance healthcare. WHO stresses that without higher and better-designed taxes, affordable alcohol will continue to drive injuries, violence, cancers, and other preventable conditions linked to alcohol.
Why Alcohol Price Matters for Health Promotion
Across all three regions, the WHO report delivers a consistent message. Cheap alcohol increases alcohol use and hinders health promotion. For instance, WHO explicitly states that price and tax measures rank among the most effective and cost-effective tools for preventing alcohol harm.
Moreover, global evidence shows that countries that increase alcohol taxes see reductions in alcohol use, alcohol-attributable deaths, and hospital admissions. These outcomes demonstrate that pricing policies protect people’s health while supporting broader prevention goals.
Evidence-Based Action Is Urgently Needed
The WHO report makes clear that allowing alcohol to remain cheap is a policy choice with serious consequences. In the European Union, Africa, and the Philippines, affordability continues to fuel alcohol consumption and harm. WHO calls on governments to update alcohol taxes regularly, reduce the availability of very cheap alcohol, and treat pricing as a core pillar of health promotion through tackling alcohol harms..
Research emphasises that effective alcohol policy benefits everyone. Higher alcohol prices reduce harm, protect children from families with alcohol problems, and lower long-term health and social costs. Together, the evidence shows that tackling cheap alcohol is essential for evidence-based, equitable, and sustainable alcohol prevention.
Sources
POLITICO Europe: “Alcohol too cheap in Europe as health impact mounts, WHO warns“
The Star (Kenya): “Kenya not imposing enough taxes on alcohol and sodas to curb use – WHO”
The Post (IOL, South Africa): “WHO: Tax hikes on juices and alcohol could slash diabetes and cancer rates”
Movendi International: “New WHO Report Outlines Urgent Case For Raising Alcohol Taxes”
Movendi International: “WHO Report Finds Alcohol Taxes Underused, Too Low, and Poorly Designed”