The current food environment is full of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods that are widely available, heavily promoted and relatively inexpensive. This presents a challenge for consumers who want to eat healthy and affordably while maintaining a balanced diet. The cost of food has a significant impact on the food environment, as changes in prices can influence consumer demand for various foods and drinks.
Governments have recognized the importance of fiscal measures, such as taxation and subsidies, as effective policy tools to promote healthy eating habits. However, they have faced obstacles in implementing these policies successfully. In response to these challenges, 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 reduce the 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 designed 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.
