Pour decision?
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In looking at how to address alcohol harm, the WHO believes it can help countries reduce this worldwide problem through taxation and pricing policies.
In some respects, the idea put forward appears reasonable: affordability leads to consumption, and harm results from consumption. Yet, taxation alone cannot effectively address the intricate problem of alcohol-related harm. At the heart of the WHO’s argument is that in many European countries, alcohol is more affordable today than it was two decades ago and people are paying the price with their health. As it states, the WHO European Region continues to report the highest alcohol consumption per capita in the world, with devastating consequences for public health. From cancers and liver disease to road traffic injuries and early deaths, alcohol contributes significantly to the Region’s disease burden
On the flip side, there are plenty of us who drink for enjoyment. Not everybody that uses alcohol has an alcohol problem, and not everyone that drinks too much is an alcoholic. There are many different groups of people with varying reasons for drinking – some with problems, and some without.
Having just returned from Germany, I, among many, partook in post-exhibition drinks. It is a common and enjoyable social activity. If you feel nothing wrong and are enjoying the experience, then it’s likely a positive thing.
There is really no one size fits all given the mix of alcoholic drinks and tax systems. The rates of taxation, and the types of tax instruments used, vary enormously between countries. Taxes vary within each country, and they also vary between beverages, and sometimes between qualities and styles of each beverage.
Each country’s approach is different, and governments have to consider several factors, such as the patterns of consumption, the different kinds of alcohol, politics and industry structure.
If the aim of increased tariffs is to discourage alcohol consumption then designing policies to curb alcohol consumption is far from straightforward. But is taxation the best instrument?
- Rodney Jack, editor, Food & Drink Technology.
Keep in touch via email: [email protected] Twitter: @foodanddrinktec or LinkedIn: Food & Drink Technology magazine.
