‘A To D’ Nutri-Grade For Pre-Packaged Sweet Drinks In Singapore From End-2021
Singaporeans love sweet drinks, and sadly, it’s taking a toll on our health.
In an effort to curb the growing number of diabetic patients and encourage healthier eating habits, the government is rolling out a new measure come end-2021.
Meet Nutri-Grade, a label that grades pre-packaged beverages based on their sugar content and nutritional value.
These labels will first be placed on pre-packaged sweet beverages by end-2021, and subsequently freshly made drinks like bubble tea, reports The Straits Times (ST).
Mandatory labelling for sweet drinks with Nutri-Grade “C” & “D”
The Nutri-Grade system uses letters to differentiate the nutritional levels of each beverage.
According to the chart ST posted, beverages with grades “C” or “D” will have to be mandatorily labelled. Around 70% of pre-packaged drinks currently sold in Singapore would fall under these 2 categories.
The saturated fat content of a drink affects its grade too. Full fat milk gets a “C” grade, while skimmed milk gets a grade “A”.
Retailers will also not be allowed to advertise “D” grade drinks outside of “points of sale” –such as within their store premises.
Winning the war on diabetes requires long-term efforts
The “Nutri-Grade” labelling was first announced Thursday (5 Mar) in Parliament.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said “multi-year efforts” are necessary to combat the growing problem of diabetes in Singapore. The government intends to tackle diabetes hard so as to lighten the load of chronic diseases in Singapore.
These measures would be undertaken in addition to the installation of more water coolers around the country.
This would hopefully encourage Singaporeans to drink plain water, which is healthier and cheaper than sugared drinks.
Nutri-grade encourages manufacturers to reformulate beverages
Given the fact that sweet drinks and beverages are such a huge part of Singaporeans’ daily lives, this move may have a significant impact on the local drinks industry.
Senior Minister of State for Health Edwin Tong, however, said in Parliament that the initiative aims to encourage manufacturers to be more innovative,
The point is not to deprive Singaporeans of their favourite drinks, but to encourage manufacturers on their journey to reformulation to create a wider range of healthier beverages for all to enjoy.
ST also reports that the authorities will discuss with members from the industry to better understand any concerns. They will then decide on the optimal way to implement the initiative.
However, if this initiative fails to encourage healthier eating habits, more drastic measures like a sugar tax may be implemented.
Singaporeans consume excessive amounts of sugar
According to a professor from the Singapore Institute of Technology, an average Singaporean consumes twice the daily amount of sugar recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
With the number of bubble tea shops around as well as hawkers and coffee shops to supply us with our sugared drink of choice, that fact isn’t surprising.
It’s safe to say that we probably also need a little help in the nutrition department, which the government hopes Nutri-Grade will provide us with.
Let’s hope the healthier reformulations of our favourite drinks won’t taste too different from the OG ones. That way, Singaporeans can reap the benefits of a healthier and sustainable diet.
Featured image adapted from Business Insider Singapore.
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