Cheaper Low-Sugar Drinks Coming to UAE in 2026
- Publish date: Thursday، 11 September 2025 Reading time: two min read
New sugar tax model will cut prices on lighter drinks while pushing full-sugar sodas higher.
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By 2026, your grocery run in the UAE is about to look a little different. The government is ditching its flat 50% sugar tax on drinks and swapping it with a “graded model” that actually cares about how much sugar is inside your can or bottle.
Translation? The more sugar a drink has, the pricier it’ll get. The less sugar, the cheaper it could be.
What It Means for Your Wallet
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Regular sodas and energy drinks? Expect them to sting more.
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Juices with less sugar? Likely to drop in price.
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Zero-sugar or diet sodas? Could end up the cheapest in the fizzy drinks aisle.
For anyone who stocks up on cases of juice or soda every week, this isn’t just pocket change — those price drops (or hikes) will add up fast.
Why the Change?
The Ministry of Finance and the FTA say the old one-size-fits-all tax wasn’t fair. Brands have also been pushing for a system that rewards low-sugar options instead of treating every drink the same.
Now, manufacturers are already scrambling to adjust recipes, especially for juices, to keep costs down and appeal to health-conscious shoppers.
Global Trend, Local Impact
The UAE’s move isn’t happening in isolation. More than 100 countries have some version of a sugar tax. The UK, for example, rolled out a tiered system in 2018, and within two years, soft drink makers slashed sugar content by nearly 40%.
The UAE is now part of this global wave — and shoppers are set to benefit with more low-sugar and zero-calorie options hitting shelves.
What’s Next?
Businesses have until early 2026 to reformulate, relabel, and rejig prices. Awareness campaigns are also expected so people don’t get sticker shock when they hit the supermarket.
Bottom line? By the time this kicks in, your shopping basket might feel a little lighter — on both sugar and your wallet.