Singapore: Mandatory Nutrition Labelling and Advertising Prohibitions for “Nutri-Grade” Beverages

Benefits Healthy Snacks And Beverages

Singapore Food (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2021 has been gazetted on 30 December 2021. It will come into operation on 30 December 2022.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced the decision to introduce labelling requirements and advertising prohibitions on 10 October 2019, after carefully considering the feedback received from the public, industry and expert stakeholders, and reviewing existing overseas and local evidence.

The Amendment Regulations aim to (a) help consumers identify beverages that are higher in sugar and saturated fat and make more informed, healthier choices; (b) reduce the influence of advertising on consumer preferences, and (c) spur industry reformulation.

Nutri-Grade beverages include, but are not limited to, soft drinks, juices and juice drinks, milk and milk beverages, cultured milk/yoghurt drinks, and 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 instant powdered beverages.

The Amendment Regulations are summarised as follows.

  • Nutri-Grade beverages are to be graded “A”, “B”, “C” or “D” according to the Nutri-Grade grading system;
  • Nutri-Grade beverages must carry a nutrition information panel (NIP) in the form specified in the Twelfth Schedule of the Food Regulations, specifying the energy value, the amounts of protein, carbohydrate, fat, total sugar and saturated fat in the Nutri-Grade beverages;
  • Nutri-Grade beverages graded “C” or “D” must be labelled with a Nutri-Grade mark on the front-of-pack of the package. If Nutri-Grade beverages are sold by online retail, from a vending machine (in prepacked form) or a purchaser-facing automated beverage dispenser, the image of the Nutri-Grade mark must be displayed in accordance with regulation 184E as introduced by the Amendment Regulations; and
  • Advertisements related to Nutri-Grade beverages graded “D” are prohibited, except in certain circumstances detailed in regulation 184F(2) as introduced by the Amendment Regulations.

The Amendment Regulations will come into operation on 30 December 2022, i.e. 12 months after the gazette of the Amendment Regulations. This will provide the industry additional time to comply with the Amendment Regulations and reformulate their products to increase the range and variety of healthier choices for Singaporeans.

From 30 December 2022, non-compliance with the new provisions set out in the Amendment Regulations will be an offence punishable with a fine not exceeding $1,000 and in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, a fine not exceeding $2,000.

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