Strong, well-designed taxes on products harmful to health are among the most effective policy measures to save lives and avoid healthcare spending. By preventing death and disability, ‘health taxes’ contribute to a healthier, more productive workforce, that is a key part of a vibrant, growing economy. Beyond contributing to improved fiscal space by averting some NCD-related health spending, health taxes can represent a relatively stable and substantial source of tax revenue.

As part of a broader programme of support to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to respond to the challenge of NCDs, the Gulf Health Council (GHC) requested the support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of NCDs (UNIATF), and the World Health Organization (WHO) to assist the GHC in conducting economic forecasts of the additional government revenue to be gained from increasing taxes on tobacco, sugar-sweetened beverages and – where relevant – alcoholic beverages, in six GCC countries.