Brazil's health tax at a crossroads: safeguarding the constitutional victory against ultra-processed foods

The Lancet Regional Health - Americas 2026 Open access

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Authors: Felipe Silva Neves, Larissa Loures Mendes, Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, Inês Rugani Ribeiro de Castro, Rafael Moreira Claro, Daniela Silva Canella, Ísis Eloah Machado, Ariene Silva do Carmo, Mariana Carvalho de Menezes, Deborah Carvalho Malta
DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2025.101363
Cited by: 0
References: 5

Abstract

Brazil faces a watershed moment for its public health policy. In 2023, the country achieved a constitutional milestone by instituting a Selective Tax to discourage the consumption of products detrimental to health and the environment.1 As Latin America's largest nation, with over 212 million inhabitants, Brazil's health policies exert considerable influence both regionally and globally. Yet this historic advance faces a constant risk of erosion from legislative manoeuvres driven by corporate interests, a conflict that epitomises the global tension between evidence-informed policymaking and the aggressive commercial determinants of health.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology Public Health in Brazil

Publication details

Journal / source
The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
55
Pages
101363–101363
Publication date
2 January 2026
Language
EN