Poland raises taxes on sugary drinks to curb obesity

Poland’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance are moving to increase the excise duties on drinks containing added sugar, sweeteners, caffeine or taurine. The fixed rate for beverages with up to 5 g of sugar per 100 ml will rise from 50 to 70 zł per litre, and the per‑gram surcharge above that limit will double from 5 to 10 zł. Energy drinks will see their levy climb from 10 zł to 1 zł per litre, pushing the overall maximum tax from 1.2 zł to 1.8 zł per litre. A new charge of 3 zł per kilogram or litre will apply to concentrates used for beverage preparation. While most products will now be taxed, exemptions will remain for liquid supplements up to 200 ml and certain health‑related items.

The reforms aim to reduce obesity rates, which the government estimates cost between 4.4 billion and 15.4 billion zł in treatment and complications in 2025. Higher prices are intended to discourage consumption of sweetened and caffeinated drinks, generate additional revenue, and lessen the health‑care burden.

The changes replace earlier rules introduced in 2020 that were widely circumvented by manufacturers labeling sweet syrups as dietary supplements. By tightening the definition of taxable products, officials expect both public‑health benefits and increased fiscal returns.