SINGAPORE — Food and drink outlets will have to include nutrition labels on their menus for freshly made sweet drinks with higher levels of sugar and saturated fat by the end of 2023, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said. announced last Thursday (August 11).
The Nutri-Grade system, which will be used to classify prepackaged beverages from December 30 based on their sugar and saturated fat content, will be extended to freshly prepared beverages such as those made in cafeterias, freshly squeezed juices and teas. of bubbles. .
The labeling is to “give Singaporeans the correct information to make their own healthy choices while also encouraging manufacturers to reformulate products and create healthier options,” said then Minister of State for Minister for Health Edwin Tong. , in March 2020 when he announced the scheme.
Grades range from A to D, with D being the least healthy.
Those high in sugar and saturated fat will get a C or D rating, which requires them to have a Nutri Grade label on their packaging. D-rated beverages will also face advertising restrictions.
The latest move to extend labels to freshly prepared beverages has prompted some sellers of such beverages to ask how nutritional content will be measured.
In response to TODAY queries, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) said: “Like other jurisdictions that have introduced mandatory labelling, we will consider applying measures only to the largest establishments. at first, while exempting smaller establishments that serve freshly prepared beverages.
“We will not require all establishments to use laboratory tests to determine the sugar and saturated fat content of their beverages.”
They added that it is acceptable to classify beverages by estimating their sugar and saturated fat content from individual beverage ingredients.
“When it is ready, more details of the measures will be released in the coming months,” the Health Ministry and HPB said.
Although the classification scheme for pre-packaged beverages was announced in 2020 and will be fully implemented on December 30, has it already caused changes in the sugar levels of those beverages?
And with the scheme to be put in place for freshly made drinks, how will that affect consumers and F&B operators?
WHAT IS THE RESPONSE TO THE NUTRI-GRADE SCHEME SO FAR?
Announcing the extension of the Nutri-Grade system to freshly prepared beverages, Mr. Ong noted that the prevalence of diabetes in Singapore has remained “fairly constant” over the years, and long-term action to address the problem is through early detection. and preventive care.
A key risk for diabetes is obesity, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on countries to reduce people’s sugar intake.
“Today, more than half of Singaporeans’ daily sugar intake comes from beverages, of which pre-packaged beverages, for example canned and packaged beverages, contribute nearly two-thirds,” he said.
While the Nutri-Grade system will be fully implemented for prepackaged beverages by the end of this year, Mr. Ong noted that there has been “a positive response from industry demand and supply.”
The average sugar level of pre-packaged drinks has fallen from 7.1% in 2017 to 4.7% in 2021, as producers reformulate their drinks before the measures come into force, it said.
It also noted that the sale of prepackaged beverages with sugar content that would categorize them in grades C and D has dropped from 63% in 2017 to 40% in 2021.
“By contrast, sales of beverages with less than 5% sugar content increased from 37% to 60% over the same period,” said Mr. Ong.
HOW WILL THE PLAN WORK FOR FRESH DRINKS?
Ms. Samantha Chan, a professor of marketing and digital communications at the Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) School of Business Administration, said the Nutri-Grade scheme would help consumers of freshly prepared beverages make better choices.
“Labelling could help raise awareness of the sugar content of such beverages and make consumers more aware of what they consume. This approach will support the ministry’s long-term goal of educating consumers,” she said.
He echoed the sentiments of other nutritionists and marketing experts, who noted that consumer awareness will help them make a better choice.
Associate Professor Zhang Kuangjie of the Nanyang Business School noted that labeling will provide greater transparency about the nutritional content of freshly prepared beverages, such as hidden sugars.
“For example, some consumers may not be aware that a (cup of) bubble tea with the lowest sugar level could still contain a lot of sugar due to the other contents, such as syrup and condensed milk,” he said.
However, experts also noted that there will be some challenges in changing consumer behavior and helping food and beverage outlets adapt to the new rules.
Ms. Chan noted that the change may not work for some consumers who regularly buy sweet drinks.
To overcome this, he suggested adopting strategies like gamification, which can encourage consumers to make the healthier switch through engagement.
Associate Professor Zhang also said that a higher Nutri-Grade brand may not equate to a healthier option and may result in rejection from food and beverage outlets.
“For example, a sugar-free soda drink (with a possible Nutri grade of B) is not necessarily healthier than a 100% fresh orange juice (with a possible Nutri grade of D),” he said, adding that the authorities they should consider incorporating other nutritional dimensions into the scheme.
In response to such concern from a public consultation on the classification scheme in 2020, the Ministry of Health and HPB emphasized that the scheme focuses on sugar and saturated fat content, and that it will work alongside public education efforts to promote healthier diets.
“The Ministry of Health and HPB recognize the nutritional benefits of whole milk and 100% juices, and intend to highlight them as part of our public education efforts,” they said, in response to comments about these two pre-packaged beverages. .
Ms. Claudine Loong, a professor of food science and nutrition at Nanyang Polytechnic School of Applied Sciences, noted that companies selling fruit juices may have problems with the new scheme as they may not be able to reduce the sugar content.
“For fruit juices prepared by squeezing or blending the fruit itself, it is quite impossible to reduce the sugar content as it is natural within the fruit itself,” he said.
Conversely, it is easier to reduce the total sugar or fat in other high-fat or sweetened beverages by reducing the addition of full-fat whipped cream, flavored and sweetened syrups, sugars, or bubble tea pearls .
“Due to the sensory properties of fats and sugar, removal of these ingredients would also affect the texture and nature of beverages, such as smoothies and yogurt drinks,” added Ms Loong.
However, he acknowledged that this may raise awareness that fresh fruit juices and fruit-based drinks are “not as healthy as they seem” due to their high sugar level.
Singapore Management University associate professor of marketing education Seshan Ramaswami also noted that authorities will need to help coffee shops standardize their use of sugar.
For example, he noted the term yes dai (less sugar) can indicate different amounts depending on the teapot or coffeepot.
“The burden, of course, falls on the beverage stall operators, who now need to be a bit more careful (in) understanding the specifications of the different labels and ensuring consistency across time and location to maintain the same standard.” , said.
“I hope they get help from HPB or other associations to be able to accurately mark their menus and then come up with ways to deliver the promised degree of sugar content.”
He also noted that chain beverage operators, which rely on their multiple locations and branding and marketing efforts to attract customers, will have to be more cautious with their marketing efforts.
“They may not be able to present the most indulgent and attractive variants — for example, drinks with big fudge toppings or whipped cream — and they will have to be a little more vigilant in their advertising,” he said, adding that they have to make sure that your drinks don’t fall into the D-grade zone.
It also noted that in addition to advertising, point-of-purchase display of beverages can influence consumer decisions, and this can be difficult to regulate.
“The schemes can only be effective if there is an application that requires regular checks that may require random sampling of drinks from multiple operators on an ongoing basis to ensure labels remain accurate,” he said.
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