Update on Efforts and Proposed Measures to Reduce Sugar Intake Amongst Singaporeans

Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Health (a) whether studies have been conducted on the relative efficacy and impact of the four proposals to ban high-sugar drinks, tax the drinks, require labelling, and ban advertisement for the drinks; and (b) what weight will public views carry in the current solicitation of feedback.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) adopts a multi-pronged strategy to encourage Singaporeans to eat healthily and reduce their sugar intake from food and drinks.

First, we highlight to Singaporeans the importance of reducing sugar intake and encourage them to choose lower-sugar alternatives. To do this, we introduced the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) in 2001 to help consumers identify healthier, lower-sugar food and drinks while grocery shopping. We also couple this with consumer promotions, such as the nationwide Eat Drink Shop Healthy (EDSH) Campaign to encourage healthier choices.

Second, we make more healthier alternatives available when Singaporeans eat out. To do this, we partner the food and beverage (F&B) industry through the Healthier Dining Programme (HDP) to encourage them to offer healthier options, including lower-sugar drinks, as part of their permanent core menu offerings. Currently, there are more than 1,200 F&B operators, hawker centres and coffee shops onboard the programme. We have also worked with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and other Government agencies to ensure that all packaged drinks sold at MOE schools and Government premises are lower in sugar. In addition, freshly prepared hot drinks at Government premises are served without sugar by default.

Third, we encourage the industry to lower the sugar content of their products. To do this, HPB extended the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme (HIDS) in April 2018 to include sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), desserts and sauces. This provides grants for the development and marketing of healthier food ingredients. Since then, six companies have tapped on the HIDS grant to develop 39 lower-sugar products, such as lower-sugar Asian drink mixes for coffee shops and F&B outlets.

These efforts show encouraging signs of progress. The average sugar level of pre-packaged SSBs have declined from five to three teaspoons per 250-millilitre serving between 2007 and 2017. The proportion of pre-packaged SSBs purchased that carry the HCS label has also increased from 30% in 2012 to 44% in 2018.

Nevertheless, we can do more. Singaporeans continue to consume 12 teaspoons of sugar daily, of which more than a third still comes from pre-packaged SSBs.

To further reduce Singaporeans' sugar intake, our Ministry has, therefore, initiated a public consultation on four possible measures on pre-packaged SSBs: mandatory front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels, advertising regulations, a ban on sale of higher-sugar SSBs, and a sugar tax or, more accurately, an excise duty imposed on manufacturers and importers of pre-packaged SSBs.

As far as we are aware, there are no studies that directly compare the relative efficacy and impact of the four proposals. In fact, the proposals are not mutually exclusive and they often work together and reinforce one another in promoting healthier and less sugar choices.

Nevertheless, for the individual measures, there is clear evidence to suggest that they would each help to contribute to reducing Singaporeans' sugar intake.

For example, evidence shows that mandatory FOP nutrition labels are effective in helping consumers make healthier choices. Among the different types of FOP labels, studies conducted globally and locally found that nutrient-summary labels are more effective than nutrient-specific and warning labels in helping consumers make healthier choices.

Studies have also shown that restricting advertisements can reduce consumption of the product. A global study across 80 countries found a significant decline in sales of less healthy food products in countries where laws restrict their advertisements.

Excise duties have been adopted in about 45 jurisdictions globally, and overseas evidence show that the duties can encourage the industry to reformulate and reduce sugar content in their drinks. In the United Kingdom, for example, over half of the manufacturers took steps to lower or remove the sugar content in their drinks before the duty came into effect, so as to avoid paying the duty. More details are available in the Government's public consultation paper.

The Ministry is reaching out to a wide range of public stakeholders as well as the industry in our public consultation. We welcome views on measures to reduce sugar intake from pre-packaged SSBs and will carefully consider all feedback received from the public and industry, as well as evaluate the local and overseas evidence thoroughly, before making a decision.