Health experts oppose tax relief for juices

The Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) has called for an increase in Federal Excise Duty (FED) on fruit juices, urging the government to prioritise public health over corporate interests.

Health experts have also expressed concern over any potential tax relief for fruit juices, warning that sugary beverages - including processed juices - are contributing to a rise in diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and fatty liver disease.

Speaking to the media, PANAH Secretary General Sanaullah Ghumman voiced serious concern over the growing consumption of processed juices and their profound impact on public health. He stated that certain elements within the juice industry are attempting to mislead policymakers, particularly the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, in an effort to portray juices as healthy products and secure tax concessions.

Health experts, however, maintain that the government should strengthen taxation measures and raise the Federal Excise Duty on all sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit juices, to 40 per cent, as proposed in the Finance Bill 2026–27.

Diabetes specialist Professor Dr Shakeel Ahmed Mirza stressed that the World Health Organization's 2015 guideline on free sugars intake clearly defines "free sugars" as including not only sugars added during manufacturing, but also the naturally occurring sugars found in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that free sugars account for less than 10 per cent of total daily energy intake, and preferably below 5 per cent, particularly when consumed through liquid sources such as beverages or juices.

Fruit juices - regardless of whether manufacturers add sugar - remain a significant source of free sugars and therefore fall within the category of products whose consumption the WHO advises should be restricted.

Professor Dr Nusrat Ara Majeed, Commissioner for the Asia-Pacific Region on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, warned that any tax relief on packaged juices risks misleading consumers. Such policy exemptions, she said, could be interpreted as government endorsement that these products are healthy or safe for frequent consumption.