Healthy taxes work, but they do not accelerate and show timid achievements

After more than a year of implementation, health taxes in Colombia have achieved some progress in public health and revenue, but their impact remains limited, according to a recent report by the Center for Economic Studies (ANIF). This report warns that this tax policy has operated without comprehensive support from the State, which has limited its effectiveness.

It's worth remembering that since November 2023, the country has imposed differentiated taxes on sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods based on their nutritional content. This measure, supported by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), was included in Law 2277 of 2022, with the aim of discouraging the consumption of products that contribute to the development of chronic non-communicable diseases.

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Regarding progress, ANIF reports that in its first months in effect, the tax has contributed to a slight reduction in daily consumption of these products. For example, the percentage of young people between 12 and 28 years old who consume sugary drinks every day increased from 24.6% in 2022 to 22.6% in 2024.

Likewise, among adults aged 29 to 44, the decline was even greater, from 24.9% to 19.2%; while there was, in parallel , an increase in the proportion of people who consume them only once or less per week.

“Regarding packaged fried foods, the changes have been more moderate. Among young people, daily consumption fell from 18.7% to 17%. In the 29-44 age group, it fell from 7.7% to 7.1%, while older adults remained virtually unchanged,” they indicated in a recent report.

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These analysts added that the pattern is repeated across income levels, as daily consumption fell across all income quintiles, but the decline was most noticeable in the poorest households, where daily consumption of fried foods fell from 18.1% to 14%.

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However, Anif emphasizes that these advances, although positive, are modest and not widespread. It notes that, for example, occasional consumption has increased, but a significant portion of the population still maintains unhealthy habits. In 2024, nearly 28 million Colombians continued to consume sugary drinks at least once a week, equivalent to 54% of the population.

From a fiscal perspective, the trend has been more dynamic, with health taxes raising $2.9 trillion in 2024, equivalent to 1.1% of total national revenue. Between January and May 2025, revenue has already reached $1.6 trillion, a 24.9% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Of this amount, $288 billion comes from sugary beverages and $1.3 trillion from ultra-processed foods.

“This growth has been accompanied by inflationary spikes in the taxed products. Packaged chips went from an annual inflation rate of 14.6% in October 2023 to a peak of 20.7% in January 2024. Soft drinks and malts also increased, reaching 13.7% in December 2023.

Although these effects have moderated, with inflation of only 0.5% for fried foods and 7.1% for soft drinks in June 2025, they reflect a partial transfer of the tax to the final consumer," they stated.

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Lack of support in the program

Despite these indicators, Anif warns that the impact of the measure has been contained by the lack of a coordinated state strategy, since health taxes alone do not guarantee a structural change in the population's eating habits. It emphasizes that for them to be truly effective, they must be integrated with nutritional education campaigns, labeling regulations, and active promotion of affordable healthy alternatives.

"Consumption has decreased, but the change is gradual and has not accelerated because the measure lacks an enabling environment," the document concludes, which also notes that the experience of other countries such as Mexico and Chile, which have also implemented this type of tax, demonstrates that its success depends on coordinated work between tax, health, and education authorities.

In this regard, they propose that fiscal design should be accompanied by a multisectoral approach that takes into account that if the State does not intervene in areas such as the supply of healthy products, education in schools, and the regulation of marketing aimed at minors, the impact will remain marginal.

“The results obtained so far show a correlation between the tax and certain changes in consumption, but they do not yet establish a sustained or equitable transformation. In short, the report recognizes that healthy taxes are working, but at the same time makes it clear that they are not transforming habits quickly or profoundly. Without institutional support, their effect will remain partial,” they concluded.