UAE's new sugar tax will address 'root cause' of rising health crises, experts say

Medical and dental professionals are welcoming a tiered tax system that's coming into place next year

Soft drinks in the UAE will now be taxed as per the amount of sugar it contains. Getty Images

A tiered beverage tax set to launch in the UAE from January 1 is being hailed by medical and dental professionals as a “great” public health initiative that will finally address the “root causes” of the region’s rising health crises.

The new pricing system, which was announced in July by the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Authority, links the tax rate directly to the level of sugar content per 100ml, marking an evolution from the flat-rate tax on soft drinks introduced in 2017.

Under the new pricing strategy, drinks containing between 5 and 8 grams of sugar per 100ml will be taxed at 79 fils (Dh0.79) per litre, while those containing 8g or more of sugar per 100ml will be subject to a tax of Dh1.09 per litre.

EditorialUAE sugar tax changes are a smart policy tool in the war on obesity and diseases

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Beverages with fewer than 5g of sugar per 100ml, as well as those containing only artificial sweeteners, will be exempt from the new taxation rules.

“The policy encourages both manufacturers and consumers to choose low-sugar or natural-sugar alternatives,” said Dr Ali Elhouni, a consultant endocrinologist at Medcare Royal Specialty Hospital Al Qusais.

“This method is more effective than the usual flat tax and this connects financial policy with health results, which is important in a place where obesity and type 2 diabetes rates among young people are increasing.”

Concern over obesity and diabetes

The UAE obesity rates are forecasted to hit new highs by 2050, according to a Lancet study earlier this year. It showed that overweight and obesity prevalence among males aged 25-plus will increase from 84 per cent in 2021 to 94 per cent in 25 years, among the highest globally. For females, it is expected to rise to 95 per cent.

As for type 2 diabetes, it is estimated that there is nearly a 21 per cent prevalence among the UAE’s population as of 2024, according to the International Diabetes Federation. In the Middle East and North Africa region, it is believed 163 million people will have some form of diabetes by 2050, an increase from 85 million last year.

“Cutting back on sugar can significantly improve long-term health,” added Dr Elhouni. “Whenever possible, individuals should opt for natural sugars found in fruits instead of sugary drinks, as the body can digest these sugars more effectively.”

International precedence

While some may question whether these financial measures will lead to real-world change in the health space, international data suggests they do.

For example, in Ireland, a Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Tax was introduced in 2018, with independent evaluations showing that sugar consumption from carbonated soft drinks fell by 30.2 per cent in retail purchases and 19.8 per cent in food service settings within a year.

Similarly, the UK’s soft drinks industry levy, which also came into effect in 2018, showed a significant drop in the amount of sugar in people’s diets across the UK – about half in children and by a third in adults after the tax was announced in 2016 – according to the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Protecting the next generation

The medical community is particularly focused on how the tax might wean young people off high-sugar habits in the UAE. “I wish more individuals would see that drinking high-sugar beverages is closely related to obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Dr Elhouni. “Even slight decreases in the daily consumption of these drinks can lead to significant health improvements.”

Sugars in drinks can be easy to over-consume because they are not as filling as food, he added. “But they still add calories that can lead to weight gain and metabolic issues.

“This is why it’s advised to eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juice, where it’s easy to add more sugar for better taste.”

Good for your teeth

It is not just metabolic health disorders, either, as high sugar consumption is also linked to faster dental decay. Dr David Roze, founder of Dubai’s Roze BioHealth and BioDental Clinics, also “strongly” supports the new sugar tax as it’ll help address the imbalances he frequently sees in the oral microbiome.

“From a dental perspective, this policy tackles one of the root causes of disease,” he told The National. “Reducing sugar exposure directly lowers rates of cavities, gum disease and tooth loss.”

Dr David Roze is in full support of the UAE's new sugar tax. Photo: Roze BioHealth and BioDental Clinics

Dr Roze said he commonly sees early signs of biological imbalances showing up in the mouth, such as aggressive tooth decay at a surprisingly young age, chronic gum inflammation and early bone loss around the teeth. There is often also advanced dental breakdown in patients with undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes or pre-diabetes.

“The underlying pattern is often frequent and hidden sugar exposure not just from soft drinks, but from sweetened coffees, flavoured teas, energy drinks and products marketed as ‘healthy’,” said Dr Roze.

“When sugar is consumed continuously throughout the day, the mouth remains acidic for hours, disrupting the oral microbiome and allowing harmful bacteria to dominate.”

A shifting retail industry

As obesity rates rise, there has been a move towards healthier lifestyles and decreased sugar consumption across the UAE in recent years, particularly in the retail sector.

The country’s healthy snacks industry is booming, as consumers demand more sugar-free, gluten-free, low-fat, plant-based and organic items. The healthy snacks market is expected to reach a projected revenue of more than $1 billion by 2033, a compound annual growth rate of 7.2 per cent, according to Grand View Research.

There are now more local soft drinks brands than ever. The National

As more manufacturers incorporate alternative and natural sweeteners, such as stevia, the UAE’s sugar-free drinks market is also projected to reach $1.2 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 9.3 per cent from this year, according to Deep Market Insights.

“By pushing manufacturers to create products with lower sugar content and backing public awareness efforts about healthy eating, we might witness a slow decline in obesity and associated chronic illnesses over time,” said Dr Elhouni.

“This should be included in a wider health promotion plan that focuses on education, better access to nutritious foods and increased awareness of preventing chronic diseases,” he added.