Singapore begins sugar crackdown, set to adopt Nutri-Grade labeling by 2023

15 Aug 2022 --- Singapore is set to adopt the Nutri-Grade labeling system by the end of 2022 for pre-packaged beverages with high sugar and saturated fat, according to the nation’s health minister Ong Ye Kung.

Outlets selling these drinks will be required to label their menus with the Nutri-Grade score by December 30, 2022, when the measure comes into force. Products with the highest level of sugar and saturated fat will also be prohibited from advertising by the end of 2030.

“These measures aim to help consumers make more informed, healthier choices, reduce the influence of advertising on consumer preferences and spur industry reformulation,” Kung explains. 

“While we cannot avoid the sugar in juices and sugar cane drinks, we can enjoy coffee, tea, milo and bubble tea with less sugar content. I hope more Singaporeans will realize that less sugar will bring out the natural flavors of the drinks and may find them more enjoyable. More importantly, it keeps us healthy and staves off diabetes.”

Singapore announced the idea in 2020, which was criticized by Food Industry Asia for being disproportionate.

Governments and companies are trying to reduce sugar levels, amid rising diabetes levels.Eyeing UK efforts
Ahead of the implementation date, producers have “significantly reformulated their beverages,” Kung underscores. 

Preliminary data shows that the median sugar level of prepacked beverages have been reduced from 7.1% in 2017 to 4.7% in 2021, he adds. As for demand, sales of pre-packaged beverages with higher sugar content (Grade C and D) have fallen from 63% in 2017 to 40% in 2021. Conversely, sales of beverages with less than 5% sugar content have gone up from 37% to 60% over the same period.

“These shifts are as significant as those recorded in the UK, which has implemented a sugar tax and much more stringent regulation of the market. It shows that by providing the right information in the right way, our industry and consumers are sophisticated and health-conscious enough to respond positively,” Kung notes. 

The UK’s sugar tax on soft drinks resulted in less sugar consumption, according to a study published last year. Nonetheless, campaigners have long slammed the UK government for siding with industry by introducing voluntary measures aiming to slash sugar rather than making them mandatory. 

Britain’s diabetes figures have led to the country to be described at a “tipping point of public health emergency,” as Diabetes UK flagged one in ten people in the UK will be living with diabetes by 2030.

Tackling labeling hurdles
According to Kung, more than half of Singaporeans’ daily sugar intake comes from beverages, of which prepacked beverages such as can and packet drinks contribute nearly two-thirds.

“From December 30 this year, prepacked beverages with higher sugar and saturated fat must be labeled with a Nutri-Grade mark. It is a neutral or even nice name, but the message to consumers is to avoid those with Nutri-Grade mark that indicates a high level of sugar. Those with the highest level of sugar and saturated fat are also prohibited from advertising.”

Across the EU and UK, inconsistencies in front of package food labeling systems are proving to be a headache. The EU intends to adopt a standardized system by the end of this year, while the UK’s HFSS scheme is slated to become law in 2023. 

A study previously flagged the impact of where nutritional labeling is presented. Moving labels from the back to the front of food packaging may incentivize food producers to competitively improve the quality of their ingredients, research revealed. 

By Andria Kades