The Ministry of Health of Singapore announced new measures that require outlets selling freshly brewed drinks to include nutrition labels on their menus to specify drinks that contain higher levels of sugar and saturated fat, as reported by Strait Times on August 11. Freshly brewed coffee, freshly squeezed juices, and bubble tea are all subject to the new rules effective by the end of 2023. Under the new rules, outlets will also be banned from advertising freshly prepared beverages with the highest level of sugar and saturated fat content. Head of Ministry of Health (MOH) Ong Ye Kung, explained that the new rules aim to help consumers make more informed, healthier choices.

The move is part of the Singapore government’s efforts to control consumers’ diet and sugar intake to prevent diabetes. Last December, the MOH also published similar rules that require retailers to label pre-packaged drinks with Nutri-Grade marks from December 30 this year. According to the Health Minister, a growing number of Singaporeans are suffering from high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Meanwhile, the nation’s healthcare expenditure is anticipated to triple in the coming decade to around SGD27bn (USD19.6bn) or around 3.5% of GDP in 2030. Therefore, the MOH proposed a more sustainable healthcare strategy this March to shift from traditional illness-based hospital care to patient-centered preventive care, namely detecting or preventing serious diseases and medical problems before they become major.

Sumber:

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/drinks-outlets-must-label-beverages-high-in-sugar-saturated-fat-on-their-menus-by-end-2023

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/freshly-prepared-drinks-nutri-grade-nutrition-label-2023-sugar-fat-content-2873951

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/new-nutrition-labelling-scheme-for-sweet-drinks-to-kick-in-end-2022-moh

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/budget-debate-push-to-get-singapore-residents-paired-with-gps-from-2023

https://www.cigna.com/knowledge-center/preventive-care