Guidelines for Fiscal Policies to Promote Healthy Diets: Recommendations from the WHO

In today’s food environment, there is an abundance of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods that are easily accessible, heavily promoted, and relatively inexpensive. This poses a challenge for consumers who are trying to make healthy and affordable food choices that align with a balanced diet. The affordability of food plays a significant role in shaping the food environment, as changes in prices can impact consumer demand for various foods and beverages.

Fiscal measures, such as taxation and subsidies, have been recognized as effective policy tools to encourage healthy eating habits. However, governments have encountered obstacles in implementing these measures successfully. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidelines to provide Member States with recommendations and implementation strategies for fiscal policies that promote healthy diets. These guidelines focus on food and beverage taxation, as well as food subsidies that aim to alter consumer behavior by reducing prices of targeted products at the retail level.

The launch of the WHO guideline on fiscal policies to promote healthy diets marks an important step in addressing the challenges posed by the current food environment. These guidelines are intended to help governments create policies that support healthy eating habits and make nutritious foods more accessible and affordable for consumers. In addition to fiscal policies, the WHO is also working on developing guidelines for other strategies to improve the overall food environment.