From end 2023, the Nutri-Grade labelling requirements and advertising prohibitions will be extended to freshly prepared beverages intended for sale at specified settings in Singapore. Additional labelling requirements will also be introduced to beverages under the current Nutri-Grade measures. These include pre-packaged beverages sold in Singapore and beverages dispensed from non-customisable automated beverage dispensers.
2. The measures aim to further reduce the population’s sugar intake as freshly prepared beverages are another large and growing source of sugar in Singaporeans’ diets. Freshly prepared beverages include freshly brewed coffee or tea, freshly squeezed juices, freshly blended smoothies, bubble tea, freshly prepared herbal drinks, and beverages dispensed from machines.
3. The additional measures will apply to freshly prepared and existing Nutri-Grade beverages sold in specified settings, which include (i) retail settings such as food and beverage (F&B) outlets and catering establishments, and (ii) non-retail settings such as hotels, workplaces, educational institutions, healthcare institutions and childcare facilities.
4. With these additional Nutri-Grade measures, Singaporeans can make better informed, healthier choices through (a) helping consumers identify beverages that have higher levels of sugar and saturated fat, (b) reducing the influence of advertising on consumer preferences, and (c) spurring industry reformulation.
Key Features of the Additional Measures
5. The key features of the additional measures are:
a) Freshly prepared Nutri-Grade beverages must be graded “A”, “B”, “C” or “D”, according to the Nutri-Grade grading system which is based on the beverages’ sugar and saturated fat content;
b) If the freshly prepared or existing Nutri-Grade beverage is graded “C” or “D”, the Nutri-Grade mark must be labelled next to beverages listed for sale, such as on physical or online menus at their point of purchase. The labelling of Nutri-Grade beverages graded “A” or “B” will continue to be optional. To better help consumers in their decision making when selecting beverages from menus, a simplified Nutri-Grade mark has been developed and is to be placed next to the individual beverage listings. The variants of the Nutri-Grade mark are shown in the following figure.
Figure: Nutri-Grade mark variants
*The finalised artwork for the preliminary version of the usage guide has been released at HPB’s website (https://www.hpb.gov.sg/healthy-living/food-beverage/nutri-grade). The final version of the guide will be released by HPB at a later date.
c) Information on freshly prepared Nutri-Grade beverages, such as the amount of sugar and saturated fat, must be available to any person who wishes to view the information, either through an electronic record or a physical copy; and
d) Advertisements promoting the sale of freshly prepared Nutri-Grade beverages graded “D” will be prohibited.
Concession for Smaller Food Businesses
6. To ensure a smooth transition in implementation, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) will first provide a concession to individuals and entities running smaller food businesses that involve the sale or supply of freshly prepared Nutri-Grade beverages, if they (i) earn a revenue of not more than S$1 million in the latest financial year, and (ii) sell or supply those beverages at fewer than 10 food premises. This is in view of the challenges such individuals and entities may face, such as a lack of resources to determine the grading of the beverages being sold. We will review this concession over time and make the necessary adjustments.
7. These individuals and entities will still be required to comply with the measures for existing Nutri-Grade beverages in pre-packaged form or dispensed from vending machines and non-customisable automatic beverage dispensers.
Consultation and Continued Partnership with Industry Stakeholders
8. MOH and HPB consulted over 3,000 industry stakeholders, from 9 February to 4 March 2022, to seek their feedback on the implementation of these additional measures. A summary of the stakeholders’ key comments and the Government’s clarifications and responses is available on MOH’s website at https://www.moh.gov.sg/e-consultation/additional-nutrigrade-measures-2023 and HPB’s website at https://www.hpb.gov.sg/healthy-living/food-beverage/nutri-grade. We thank participants for their feedback and have incorporated it where appropriate.
9. MOH and HPB are working towards publishing the measures in the Government Gazette in mid-2023, to have them come into effect six months thereafter in end 2023. A summary of the new requirements for Nutri-Grade measures can be found in Annex A.
10. MOH and HPB will continue to work closely with the industry in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition to implement these measures. Resources to facilitate the implementation can be found on HPB’s website.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH
13 FEBRUARY 2023