A 330ml can of soda contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar, or about 40g, nearly double the World Health Organization’s (WHO) daily recommended limit. With an average consumption of 70 liters of sugary drinks per person per year, Vietnam is facing a “storm” of non-communicable diseases: 21 million people contract cardiovascular issues, 5 million diabetes, and 40 percent of urban children are overweight or obese.

Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Vietnam, warns that sugary drinks increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. A WHO study shows that a 10 percent price increase on sugary drinks reduces consumption by 7-10 percent, especially among youth.

WHO recommends imposing a special consumption tax (SCT) to raise prices and lower consumption of sugary drinks. This policy has proven effective in 117 countries and territories, with 104 applying an SCT, accounting for 88 percent of the total.

In Thailand, since implementing the tax in 2017, soda consumption has dropped by 20 percent, helping reduce childhood obesity rates. The Philippines saw similar results, with tax revenue invested in public health programs.

In Vietnam, sugary drink consumption has skyrocketed from 1.59 billion liters in 2009 to 6.67 billion liters in 2023, a 420 percent increase. This contributes to a growing burden of non-communicable diseases with 180,000 new cancer cases and over 120,000 deaths annually linked to unhealthy diets. 

National Assembly Deputy Le Hoang Anh from Gia Lai said the proposed SCT rates of 8 percent from 2027 and 10 percent from 2028 are too low. 

He suggested a 10 percent tax from 2026, and 20 percent from 2030. Also, he proposed an absolute tax based on sugary content in products.

Anh believes that tax policy is a strategic choice. Inaction will strain healthcare budgets, reduce labor productivity, and threaten lives. Taxing sugary drinks is not just about health but also about social ethics, the environment, and humanity. 

The tax does not aim to ban but to encourage healthier consumption, reduce healthcare burdens, redistribute financial responsibility, and work toward universal free healthcare in 2030-2035, ensuring children do not become patients before adulthood.

Vu Thi Minh Hanh, Senior Advisor at the Institute of Health Strategy and Policy, explained that sugar in drinks is absorbed directly into the blood and liver, doesn’t create satiety, stimulates appetite, and increases calorie intake. 

In contrast, sugar in sweets and chocolate is digested more slowly, helping the body manage calories better by triggering insulin production and satiety. Sugary drinks account for 25 percent of free sugar intake in adults and 40 percent in adolescents, yet provide “empty calories” with no nutritional value.

Linh Trang